


Believe in magic (yeah believe in me)

by bluemin (jeweljem), jeweljem



Category: TXT (Korea Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Magic, Angst, Fluff, M/M, Rated For Violence, Runes, Slow Burn, Swearing, Violence, Whipped Choi Yeonjun
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-09
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-01-25 19:50:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 45,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21361753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeweljem/pseuds/bluemin, https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeweljem/pseuds/jeweljem
Summary: In a world where hidden magical beings co-exist among humans, all that Choi Beomgyu wanted was to finish school in peace, escape his past and start a new future in Seoul. Choi Yeonjun made that impossible.-Wherein Beomgyu wanted a normal existence but got thrown in a magical world instead.
Relationships: Choi Beomgyu/Choi Yeonjun, Choi Soobin/Huening Kai, Jeon Jungkook/Kim Taehyung | V, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 163
Kudos: 325





	1. Moonchild Café

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Thank you for clicking on this fic ^-^. I hope you guys like it!

Choi Yeonjun felt the itch on his lower back. 

He felt the phantom swish and flick of his tail, the tense pull on the base of his spine from the desire to let them free, and the stiffness in his walk as he tried to get accustomed to walking with his fox tails hidden again. He never did get over the uncomfortable sensation of hiding them.

He walked alone, in the middle of the night towards the undesirable part of town. The glow of red and blue neon lights from the shops hazed over the pathway, the light drizzle of rain blended both colours into a violet puddle on the floor. Street lamps emitted a soft glow of amber that spilled into the cracks on the pavement, like runny egg yolk that streamed and stained between the lines. There was no light from the windows, all of the blinds were shut, curtains were drawn and all that he heard was the splattering of raindrops relentlessly bouncing off his umbrella and shoes as he walked towards Moonchild, a cafe downtown. 

A sharp turn left and a straight path before he turned towards the right brought his body towards the cafe, the only part of town that was alive at this time of night. Yeonjun was not as naive as he once was, he knows that all kinds of creatures lurked in the shadows. But the street was empty. Except for the heap of rubbish bags piled onto the corner of the street and the local alley cat that rummaged through the pile in such ferocity, you’d think there was gold hidden among the litter.

Moonchild was nestled in the corner of the street. A luminous neon scrawl of the owner’s handwriting displayed the name of the shop proudly, the lilac fluorescence of the sign was accompanied by a doodle of a crescent moon with a star right at its centre. The large floor to ceiling windows gave a full view of what was supposed to be occurring inside: people, students usually that crammed for their last minute deadlines, drunk teenagers that sought sobriety and local night owls with the desire to mingle with the people from the neighbourhood. Only these customers were not people. They were not human. The glint of fangs could be easily missed, the horns that protruded from the crowns of their heads could be mistaken for drunken imaginations of the occasional passerby and the cat ears on some could be seen as the latest fashion trend. Humans would believe anything except for what is right in front of them. 

Yeonjun twisted the door knob embellished with a large amethyst at its centre and entered the cafe. He was immediately greeted with the ever-present scent of coffee and the fragrance of freshly baked goods that always lingered and the warm wash of magic that cloaked him as soon as he entered the establishment. His best friend Soobin, was seated at a stool at their usual table at the far right corner of the cafe, close by to the door that leads to the room upstairs, his nose buried in his English textbook. 

The soft blue glow of the UV lights lined around the walls, painted the cafe in a warm wash of soft blue, a hue of light that is not too harsh for their heightened senses. He passed by the regulars: the demons at the larger round tables- they were chattering away with some of their tails casting dancing shadows on the walls, a couple of guardians with their daggers and other various weapons laid out in front of them like a glorious feast, and of course a few of the Kitsunes from his pack to which he nodded to in acknowledgment. 

Yeonjun slumped over their shared table, nudging some of Soobin’s numerous workbooks forward, as he laid his head on the makeshift pillow that is his arms. 

He heard Soobin sigh before a rather heavy book was tapped on his head. “Yah, don’t sleep now I just saw Tae-hyung go upstairs. He said he’ll call us up soon,” his smooth voice interrupted Yeonjun’s attempt at a mini nap. 

Yeonjun responded by letting his magic run free, a zing of yellow runes tickling his skin as he felt his fox ears brush against his hair and his three fox tails waved back and forth. As if someone increased the volume of a television, the ambient sounds of the cafe increased ten-fold to an almost deafening noise. He felt the rapid twitching of his ears as they once again adjusted to his surroundings. 

He heard Soobin huff and Yeonjun finally raised his head before Soobin can hit him on the head again. His ears were sensitive okay. 

Soobin closed his eyes and just like Yeonjun, he emitted a thin layer of light- periwinkle this time. With a few visible runes that traipsed along his skin, Soobin’s wings erupted from his back. The snow white feathers were a bit ruffled, their silver edges glaring at Yeonjun as if he was the one who twisted them just so. Soobin’s meticulous fingers smoothed them over, each feather eventually slotted perfectly over each other like a completed puzzle. 

Yeonjun pouted. Soobin looked like every girl’s dream man. His hair that was neatly arranged previously was now artfully tousled, the strands slightly covered his eyes, which made him look like he just rolled out of bed after sex. His bright cinnamon eyes reached a deeper coffee colour- more inviting and sensual. Soobin’s lips appeared to be plumper and his smirk curled at the side of his mouth just so that Yeonjun knew that his friend was amused at his own current lethargic state. 

Soobin looked like the epitome of beauty and grace: sat primly at his stool, his lustrous wings folded behind his back, spine straight and head held up high. The charmer’s face was amused at Yeonjun’s visibly more rumpled state. In contrast, Yeonjun’s crinkled white school shirt was buttoned three quarters of the way with his collar bones exposed, his navy jumper was tied haphazardly to his waist, and his hair sticked up in numerous directions from his pseudo nap. 

“Not all of us can look perfect,” Yeonjun grumbled. 

Soobin simply rearranged his study notes on the table and began rattling off the new facts he’s learnt whilst waiting for Yeonjun. This was the only reason why Yeonjun’s grades climbed higher; the continued exposure to a bookworm. Soobin continued to recite facts and Yeonjun absorbed them like a sponge as time passed on. The cafe’s commotions lulled him back to comfort, his ears calmed as he picked up his pen to start his study notes. 

Soon enough, Yeonjun heard Tae-hyung as he dashed down the stairs, his feet fell in front of each other in discord and nearly tripped right in front of Soobin. Yeonjun’s hand darted out to catch his hyung’s arm before he fell right on to their table scattered with various papers and stationary. 

Tae-hyung coughed and pushed his gold-rimmed glasses up his nose as he dusted off his verdant hoodie. He grinned. His blonde locks were in disarray, his hair appeared like ramen noodles under the soft blue lighting of Moonchild, his auburn eyes alight with manic frenzy- an overall look Yeonjun and Soobin are accustomed to regularly with their hyung constantly going on his ‘Magic Binges.’

“Right, I have the items you wanted. I’m sorry it took longer for me to prepare them but you see I had to wait for valerian roots and you know how I had to wait for the full moon and that took a couple more days as well as figuring out how to write the runes in...” Tae-hyung prattled on as Soobin and Yeonjun followed him up the stairs to his workshop right above Moonchild. 

The room itself was quite large -most likely enhanced by a room extension rune- but it did not appear spacious. It was cluttered with an array of trinkets from the three cauldrons that bubbled and burbled- which brewed different potions at the mahogany desk that has been pushed to the right wall, to the sun dials dotted around the room which pointed in different directions and crystals of all shapes and sizes were scattered everywhere. Books were fitted in every nook and cranny along the right and back of the walls; some were piled high on Tae-hyung’s study desk that it almost reached the ceiling. The windows that stretched on the front and the left wall of the room dappled them in moonlight. More metallic trinkets that Yeonjun didn’t know the name of winked at his peripherals, as they all bathed in the lit incense that produced fluffy shaped clouds that oddly made the room smell of mint chocolate. 

Tae-hyung clapped his hands three times and the clouds diminished, revealing a runic circle drawn in charcoal with the Chinese characters for secret right at its centre. The characters for protection sliced through the middle of the circle in a slant and placed right at its centre was a pair of earrings and glasses. 

Tae-hyung snapped his right fingers and fire began to lick his hands and whole arms, his hoodie seemingly resistant to the heat. He placed his index finger right at the edge of the circle. From the moment his finger connected to the circle, the loop ignited and flared up before it bursted into loud sparks. Tae-hyung stepped into the drawn circle and bent down to retrieve the glasses and the earrings. 

He turned around, his eyes bright, the liquid auburn swirled with hidden power. “Right now try these on,” Tae-hyung said as he handed Soobin the glasses and Yeonjun the fox fang earrings. 

Yeonjun watched as Soobin placed the glasses on his face; the circle spectacles framed his eyes perfectly. Soobin’s wings shimmered for a second or two before they dematerialised and he went back to looking like a handsome student- not an incredibly attractive, statuesque angel with bewitching looks that humans lost their minds over. 

Yeonjun found it oddly ironic that his best friend Soobin, possibly the most innocent person he knew would be an Erote- a magical being with the affinity for mind manipulation and deception through their natural beauty and allure. Tae-hyung has enchanted glasses for Soobin’s affinity to be repressed; his allure has gotten stronger during the Summer Solstice. Just like how Yeonjun’s senses heightened to almost unbearable levels. He had to spend most days fully human- he missed the comfort that his kitsune form gave him. 

Once he put on the earrings, he felt a slight tingle on his head right where his ears were and along his spine. The previous tension on his muscles disappeared and he felt himself relax a bit more. Judging from Soobin’s expression the rune worked flawlessly- both masking their alternative forms and removed the discomfort of staying as humans for prolonged periods of time. 

“Thank you hyung,” Yeonjun announced after he finished admiring the effects of the enchanted earrings.

Soobin continued, “We know that you must be busy with the cafe and all your other projects. Really hyung thank you so much.” 

Tae-hyung simply smiled at Soobin and Yeonjun, his signature boxy smile revealed a set of faultless teeth, as he reached over to ruffle their hair. “You both know you can come to me for anything. I’m just glad I could help.” 

Both Soobin and Yeonjun left the study after a few more minutes of catching up with their hyung, the three of them exchanging stories of how school was going and how Taehyung was doing a full restock on his medicinal potions after his boyfriend Jungkook, their hyung drained his last supplies. 

“He just doesn’t take care of himself,” Tae-hyung huffed. Yeonjun was more worried for the other guy; Jungkook hyung was the best Guardian Yeonjun knows- specialising in every magical weapon he can possibly name. Yeonjun mourned the loss of missing such a spectacle. It must have been a good fight. 

Yeonjun and Soobin left the cafe at around 3 am. The shower of rain has ceased and they separated as soon as they navigated out of the maze of back alleys and reached the Main Street. 

Yeonjun ambled back home alone, his shoes splashed on the puddles on the pavements. The city never slept. The incessant lights of skyscrapers and billboards stared back at him, as he slowly faded into the the cityscape- a mere dot in the urban forest.


	2. The New Student

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yeonjun meets Beomgyu + more characters introduced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Firstly I just want to thank everyone who clicked on this fic and gave me a Kudos ^-^ I'm honestly so surprised that you guys are even interested in my story. I'm going to try and post every week even when things are getting a little busy in my life. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. It might have some typos or grammar mistakes because this is not beta read. Please leave me a comment on what you thought about this chapter :D

Yeonjun was staring on the whiteboard at the front of his classroom. 

His history lesson dragged on and on; his teacher spouted pointless drivel that made him feel like his head was stuffed with cotton and wool. He did not remember anything. Soobin was as diligent as ever and jotted down neat notes that will permeate Yeonjun’s brain eventually. Soobin will drill it into him later. 

The harsh morning sun filtered into the room. Shafts of brazen light in its full glory highlighted the straight rows of students in the classroom. Some wrote notes like Soobin, some were barely awake and some poorly concealed their phones under the desks. Relentless, the ticking of the clock in the corner of the room ricocheted around the room; it emphasised the hollowness in his mind. 

Yeonjun’s eyes wandered around and his focus landed on the headmaster passing by outside his classroom. He was with two students. One of them was his junior Hwang Hyunjin, a great dancer from Yeonjun’s school club. They also knew each other because just like Soobin, he was an Erote. The other person however, was short and had an upright stance-neither confident nor anxious- but casual as he appeared interested to Headmaster Kyung’s words. His smooth, soft looking ashy grey hair fell neatly over his eyes, his porcelain skin glassy and doll like. The lights in the hallway casted a halo on the top of his head, his peachy pink lips stretched in an artificial smile. His liquid amber eyes were restless. His crisp white shirt was buttoned all the way to the top, his ruby tie precisely at the centre and his slender figure was cinched by the school’s navy blue trousers. His matching blazer was unbuttoned and left open, his vest hanging on the crook of his arm. 

Sun lit eyes fell on Yeonjun. 

The golden pools were blank, devoid and empty. Vacancy resided in those depths and Yeonjun was swimming. 

It was only for a second, before all three of them continued forward and Yeonjun was left alone, winded, confused and dazed. 

A cough interrupted his thoughts or lack thereof, “Mr Choi is there anything interesting about the hallway that you’d like to tell the rest of the class about?” his History teacher glared at him over his glasses contemptuously. 

“No sir,” was Yeonjun’s automatic monotonous reply. 

He can feel Soobin’s scrutiny as he picked up his pen and made an effort to at least look like he was paying attention. 

He could not wait for the lesson to end. 

————————————————

As he munched on bread and biscuits with his almond milk, Soobin reviewed some of his notes. Yeonjun drowned out the noise of his classmates chatter with his earphones as he looked out of the window to the football field, where their other classmates are currently playing a game. 

Soobin and Yeonjun decided to stay in the classroom today, both were too lazy to go to the school café to get more snacks during their short break; they still have lunch later. 

Almost on cue, the door to their classroom slammed open, as two students trotted inside wearing the junior jumpers. One of them practically skipped towards their seats by the window, as the other followed him at a more leisurely pace; the rest of the seniors scattered around the room remained unbothered- they were far too used to the whirlwind that is Huening Kai. 

“Binnie hyung~ Yeonjunnie hyung~” Huening Kai’s voice pierced through Yeonjun’s music. He knew that ignoring him was futile, so he removed his earphones to look at his beaming face. Kai’s dark brown hair bounced as he approached his hyungs, his clear smiling eyes almost hurt to look at. Kai was like Yeonjun’s little brother. They’ve known each other since they were very young, because Kai was also a Kitsune. They were both part of the same pack. Kai, however was still young, so he only has one tail, unlike Yeonjun who currently has three, all of which was concealed in their human forms. 

Taehyun, who was more respectful, nodded at both of them and simply said “Hyungs.” Yeonjun was not fooled- Taehyun can be the biggest little shit if he wanted to. The odd days in which Kai and Taehyun teamed up were always the worst. 

Taehyun’s hair was slightly longer than Kai’s, with the end slightly curling on the nape of his neck. He had round, wide eyes that made his face appear pure and innocent- angelic even. Don’t be fooled. From experience, Yeonjun knows that Taehyun has numerous throwing knives concealed in his person. Taehyun was also a magical being: a Guardian, the subclass with an affinity for protective magic. They specialised in weaponry and healing. He was currently training under the most talented Guardian recognised in the magical community, Jeon Jungkook. This made Yeonjun terrified of him sometimes- not that Taehyun would ever know this. 

Kai’s smile split even wider as his eyes landed on Soobin’s snacks laid out on his desk. A not-so-sneaky hand reached out to grab a biscuit on the pile. Yeonjun thought Huening Kai was asking for death. No one touched Soobin’s snacks. No one. 

“Yah, what do you think you’re doing?” Soobin’s voice cut through without looking up from the notes he was reading. 

The hand was momentarily frozen, before the attached owner grabbed the biscuit anyway. Yeonjun thought about what kind of flowers Kai would want for his funeral. 

Kai leaped towards Soobin’s side crouched and grabbed his arm, pouting as he pressed his cheek against Soobin’s shoulder. “But hyung~~~~ you know it’s one of my favourites,” he whined as he looked up at Soobin through his eyelashes that fluttered. Soobin’s eyes stuttered behind his new glasses at the sudden attack. 

Yeonjun thought lilies would be appropriate. Perhaps peonies? Maybe marigolds would look great around the casket. 

Throughout Kai’s continued whinging, Taehyun calmly took a seat right across from Yeonjun and grabbed a small sweet whilst Soobin was distracted. Maybe it would be a double funeral. They’d have to order more flowers. 

Yeonjun and Taehyun looked at each other. It was no secret to both of them that Soobin was more than smitten towards Kai. The real question was whether he’ll cave this time. Yeonjun found his answer when Soobin huffed and simply removed Kai’s palm on his shoulders and pushed him away to the side, as a sign of defeat. Of course Kai whined even more. Some rearrangements later and Kai was now sharing the same seat as Soobin, as he hugged his hyung from the side, his arms looped around his chest and his legs circled Soobin’s waist. Yeonjun was reminded of a limpet. Kai was now happily munching on the biscuit he made such a huge fuss about, as Soobin tried to look like their position was entirely natural. He organised his notes into their respective folders. How that was comfortable, Yeonjun would never know. 

Soobin was too far gone. 

“Not that I’m not glad you’re here to bother us Huening Kai, but what exactly are both of you doing in this classroom?” Yeonjun asked. After all, they spent most of their lunches together on the rooftop for some peace and quiet. Though it’s not very tranquil with Kai yammering on about his day. 

Taehyun responded “Kai wanted to tell you about the new transfer student that joined our class this morning. “ Huening Kai couldn’t speak as his cheeks were stuffed with the said biscuit he fought valiantly for. 

It was probably the unfamiliar figure from earlier. It was a bit strange that he’s starting this late into the year though. 

“He’s from Daegu,” Kai exclaimed and smacked his lips as he finished his snack, “and his name was Choi Beomgyu!” 

Huh. Choi Beomgyu. 

“He sat next to me. Waaahhhh he was so pretty, almost as pretty as you Binnie-hyung. I couldn’t stop-“ A chair scraped on the floor and next thing Yeonjun knew, Soobin was standing up and Huening Kai was rolling on the floor; his arms flailed dramatically. How smooth. 

Soobin announced, “I’m going to get some water.” His long, slim legs strode over to the door. Yeonjun can make out the reddened tips of his ears. What the gay panic was caused by was up for debate: was it because Huening Kai called him pretty or was it because he got jealous Huening Kai found Beomgyu pretty as well? Yeonjun can only speculate. 

Huening Kai recovered and jumped on his toes as well and ran after his precious Binnie-hyung. “I’ll get water too!” he shouted as he was half-way out the room, nearly tripping over his feet in his haste. 

Yeonjun and Taehyun shared a glance. Their friends were idiots. Taehyun simply picked up a choco pie from Soobin’s desk and munched on it gladly, knowing that he won’t get caught. 

For god knows how many times at this point, Yeonjun questioned the reason why he’s friends with them. 

———————————————-

Yeonjun was walking down the hallway after his dance practice. 

It was late afternoon and as the dance captain of the school team, he stayed behind to lock up the dance studio. After his quick shower, he changed out of his shirt into his more comfortable, black hoodie with their school logo on the front and with his name written across the back. 

Their school was art focused, so a considerable amount of the funding was placed on facilities such as dance studios, music and recording rooms and fine art classrooms. The creative subjects alone had a separate building, with each student being required to have compulsory lessons towards a creative field of study. Of course, this included poetry and writing classes amongst other things offered. This doesn’t mean that the school lagged behind other fields of study like the sciences and mathematics; it was all academically rigorous. The students just have more freedom, that’s all. 

The school, however had a secret. It was a safe haven for magical children to study and hone their skills. It was established more than 100 years ago with the aim of protecting young magicals from harm, as well as teaching them more about their abilities. Magicals secretly intermingled with humans, some students unaware that their peers were more… special. One of Yeonjun’s dance teachers for example, Jung Hoseok was a Demon. You won’t believe he was a Demon with how chipper and joyous he acted outside of his classes; step into the dance studio and his entire demeanour would change. Really, Hobi-hyung was the softest marshmallow to exist- just don’t step out of beat. 

As he continued to make his way out of the arts building, he heard someone playing the guitar by the music block. His feet carried him towards the main music practice room; a relatively large space with a small stage that protruded from the front wall of the classroom. The windows were covered in dark, thick curtains which vanquished any rays of the setting sun out of the room. A grand piano was situated at the left corner of the stage and the rows of velvet lined seats in front of the stage were left empty. The lights inside were all turned off, the room was bathed in shadows except for the only light source that entered the room. The door of the room remained open, the intense, artificial light of the hallway poured into the stage, casting a spotlight on the figure inside. Yeonjun could only see the room partially, as he tried to not disturb the music that resonated to the empty music block.

Sat on the edge of the scene was the new transfer student with his guitar facing the crowd-less audience. His focus was completely directed at the music he was creating, the melodies flowing right from his fingertips, as he strummed a mellow tune. He was lightly humming, a ballad Yeonjun was both familiar and unfamiliar with. His voice was deeper than expected. His tie was now loose around his neck, a button or two from his previously pressed shirt was free and untucked, his sleeves rolled above his elbow. Spun silk hair of ash grey was tousled and exposed a bit of his forehead. 

Yeonjun listened to the delicate, soothing sounds until the music eventually trailed off to a stop. He turned around before Beomgyu noticed he was ever there. 

He adjusted his bag on his shoulder and began his journey towards Moonchild, as the sun’s last sunken rays peered at him from the skyline.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments honestly make my day so please leave one for me down below :D 
> 
> I want to thank Mr_MonaTonous, emmm, gyuitarist and Sweetcookies for commenting last chapter. You guys made me feel so happy and encouraged me to write more <3 <3<3 <3
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I'll try to update next week!


	3. A New Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beomgyu is adopted by all of the boys. He also nearly kills Yeonjun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone ^-^ Thank you for clicking on this fic! I am so sorry that I'm late with my upload this week. Please don't be mad ;(( I'll explain more at the end of the Fic. Enjoyyy

Yeonjun was lying down. 

His eyes were partially sheltered by the back of his hand. Through the gaps between his fingers, he can make out the sun that dipped in and out from the sea of fluffy clouds and peeked shyly at the students having their lunch on the rooftop; the rest of its flares were smothered and suppressed. Along with Soobin and Taehyun, all three of them were currently enjoying their much needed break from studying and the tediousness of work no longer occupied their minds. The breeze that sailed through would occasionally ruffle their hair and rustled the leaves of the trees that surrounded the school into dancing to its tune. Huening Kai was notably absent but according to Taehyun he was coming soon. Yeonjun wanted the savour the peace and quiet. He knew it wasn’t going to last. Kai’s dolphin screeches were notorious. 

For the past two months, all that Yeonjun heard from Kai was about the transfer student, Choi Beomgyu. For some reason that was not fully explained yet to the rest of their group, Kai made it his personal mission to befriend Beomgyu. It was Beomgyu looked at me today, Beomgyu nodded back at me to Beomgyu said hello and so on. Yeonjun knows that when Kai wanted something, he was determined to use all of his efforts to achieve it. Beomgyu’s friendship seemed to be at the top of his priorities that even Soobin, his favourite hyung, was feeling neglected from the lack of attention their precious maknae has deprived them of. Not that Soobin was ever going to admit this. He’s too far in his denial Yeonjun was sure that Soobin would rather quit eating bread than make the first move. His friends were idiots. 

Huening Kai has even skipped out on a few of their weekly study sessions for the past few weeks as well as some of their hang out times in Moonchild, all for the sake of the new transfer student. According to Taehyun, Kai insisted that Beomgyu should teach him some of the work in class. Despite being new, Beomgyu was doing very well in school. Yeonjun witnessed the barely hidden frown that appeared on Soobin’s face every time Kai would hang out with Beomgyu instead. His lips tugged downwards as he tried to not look dejected that Kai was spending even less time with them. Only Kai would make sensible Soobin mope around and shuffle his feet, clearly dejected. Soobin told Yeonjun and Taehyun that he was not jealous, of course he wasn’t. Yeonjun didn’t even ask him if he was. They were both so blind. 

Yeonjun himself has only seen Beomgyu sparingly. Sometimes after his dance practices, he would hear Beomgyu playing the guitar. He was always alone. On one occasion, he was sitting at the grand piano, his fingers were ghosting over the keys but he wasn’t actually playing anything. They made eye contact a few times but Yeonjun never approached him- only a nod of acknowledgement was ever exchanged. Yeonjun caught glimpses of Beomgyu on the hallways too, usually with Kai fluttering around him, but his face remained impassive- a blank canvas walking. Even when he played the guitar, his expressions were always reserved- almost serene at its most- but never fully unwinding. His doll like features suspended in restrained control. Yeonjun wondered how he would look like if he smiled. 

Soobin and Taehyun’s discussion was drowned out by Yeonjun’s music that faintly played on his earphones. He must have dozed off for a moment because when he next opened his eyes, Kai’s upside down head was hovering over his, all smiley with a lollipop in the corner of his mouth. The shock caused Yeonjun to shoot up from the floor and bash his forehead on Kai’s own head, causing Kai to bestow his piercing dolphin screeches upon them. Rings of laughter started, as his friends cracked up at his unfortunate pain. Assholes. 

A spot on the centre of his forehead throbbed and the pain resounded inside his mind. Cursing his existence, Yeonjun was ready to flay Kai for surprising him when he noticed another person has joined them. 

Beomgyu sat cross-legged in between Taehyun and Soobin with his lunch and drink right in front of him with his bag on the floor as well. He was in the middle of taking a huge bite of his sandwich, his cheeks puffed up from the action. Yeonjun wanted to pinch them. His hair was fluffed from the wind that cruised every so often- the nippy autumn air, which oddly reminded Yeonjun of a small ruffled cat. His tan eyes met Yeonjun’s, who was still half-splayed on the floor, with his right hand that clutched his head and his left hand that supported the top half of his body. When he got there, Yeonjun had no idea. Maybe the fox earring from Tae-hyung has dulled his senses too much. 

“Yeonjun-hyung did Hyuka kill all your brain cells you’re staring,” Taehyun said, mirth clearly edged his words. 

This snapped Yeonjun out of some sort of trance that always seemed to happen with a certain student, and caused him to jump up on his toes, hell bent on chasing their maknaes.

“Yah! Both of you need to respect your hyung!” Yeonjun exclaimed whilst Kai squealed and Taehyun scrambled to his feet to run away.

All three of them sprinted in circles before Kai grabbed at Soobin as a form of human shield. Somehow, this further escalates into all five of them (yes even Beomgyu) into chasing after each other. Yeonjun witnessed a laugh escape Beomgyu, the other’s brimming shrieks and laughter drowned out the sound, as they rushed around the rooftop away from each other’s grasps. But Yeonjun saw the way Beomgyu’s hands held his sides, his entire body shook from the hilarity of their ridiculousness, as he too scrambled away from everyone, his ash grey hair bounced with his every leap. He was beautiful.

Beomgyu was an effective distraction that caused Taehyun to tackle Yeonjun and land on top of him, which caused him to wheeze as his breath is knocked out of him. With a war cry, Kai launched himself at both of them on the floor, grabbing Soobin’s arm along with him before he crashed on top of them. Yeonjun saw Beomgyu hesitate before Soobin’s long arms reached out and snatched him into their cuddle pile as well. Their chuckles trailed to an end, as their laboured breathing caught up to them to remind them that yes, despite being young boys, they do still need oxygen. 

Something happened during that lunch time. Yeonjun was unsure what, but Beomgyu was one of them now. And they protect their own. 

———————————————-  
Things remained the same. Relatively. 

Huening Kai’s almost protective mother bear like nature extended to the rest of the group, as they tried to help Beomgyu more accustomed to life in Seoul. Yeonjun was never going to admit this, but the times when Beomgyu’s satoori slipped were adorable; Beomgyu often stopped himself halfway through speaking and would duck his head down, almost as if he could fold himself in half and become smaller. The tips of his ears would redden and he would begin to play with his fingers. Cute. 

Their study sessions at the library welcomed a new addition. Afternoons when Yeonjun had no dance practice were spent cramming and stuffing their overworked brains with new information for the upcoming exams and tests that never seemed to end. Soobin adopted a nurturing role, always offering not just Beomgyu but the maknaes various snacks and drinks during their hangouts. He was also in charge of making sure they actually complete their work. There were one too many times where they all got distracted and started messing around instead; never ask about the Paper Airplane War of ‘19. Tears were shed, papers were ripped and bonds were nearly broken. It may or may not have been resolved by Soobin buying them all ice cream. 

But there’s a day in the week when Soobin’s student council duties, Taehyun’s training with Jungkook-hyung and Huening Kai’s piano lessons aligned and made them all unavailable. On an unassuming Thursday, Beomgyu and Yeonjun were left alone. At first, it was undeniably awkward. Beomgyu was not the most talkative and he was the most comfortable with Hyuka. Though everyone was at ease with Kai the social butterfly. They sat at their usual library table by the window tucked at the corner, behind all the shelves to avoid the severe stares of their librarian. Clearly, the pair did not anticipate being unaccompanied by the others, so they both looked at each other for a second before Beomgyu coughed and pulled his chair and pulled various textbooks from his bag. Yeonjun followed suit and sat across from him. 

Now that the last remnants of Summer was completely dispelled, the sun’s descent from the horizon highlighted the sky line, the clouds dipped in pretty streaks of burnt auburn and pumpkin orange. He was suddenly reminded of roasted chestnuts they should buy after school. Truthfully, Yeonjun spent more time studying Beomgyu than his notes. Whilst Beomgyu was completely focused on his note-taking, his pen occasionally tapped the book and he would bite his lip when he came across a particularly hard concept, Yeonjun was swimming in his thoughts. The flares of the sun that descended washed Beomgyu with an orange glow and accentuated his thin frame with his unbuttoned shirt and loosened tie and his circle glasses he only wore for reading. Yeonjun was fucked. He was too scared to speak because he might just do or say something stupid and embarassing like say Beomgyu was cute or that he wants to pinch his cheeks or that he’s happy Beomgyu moved in Seoul and attended their school. The library suddenly seemed smaller and tighter than it was previously, the shelves closed in on both of them and trapped them there. He needed to move. 

So he slammed his History textbook closed, the sound reverberated in the near empty library and caught Beomgyu’s attention.

“Let’s go,” Yeonjun announced as he stood up, his chair scraping the floor. 

Beomgyu’s widened eyes framed by his ring spectacles made him appear like a deer caught in headlights, his pen hovered over his notes with his frozen body. Seriously, was he trying to kill Yeonjun.

He packed his things into his bag and swung it over his shoulder with Beomgyu mirroring him. 

As Beomgyu hiked his bag up his shoulder he asked, “Hyung where are we going?” 

Yeonjun simply held out his hand, smiled and said “Let’s run away.” 

Beomgyu looked down at the outstretched hand and back to Yeonjun’s eyes, before his lips gave a small smile. It was merely a tiny upturn on the corner of his pretty pink lips, but it was a smile nonetheless and Yeonjun counted it as a win. Whilst Beomgyu was gradually becoming more confident in their friends’ presence, he was still quiet and reserved and only spoke when he was addressed. His hand reached out and clasped Yeonjun’s. Yeonjun’s grin widened and he weaved through the maze of bookshelves and tables and out of the library, pulling Beomgyu with him. From there, he began to sprint, still clutching onto Beomgyu’s hand, and they raced out of the school building to the football field. 

Yeonjun took a football from the storage room by the grassy turf. They had a game of who can score the most goals. Surprisingly agile and athletic, Beomgyu was able to maneuver around Yeonjun. Rushing past him, he was able to kick the ball in between Yeonjun’s legs and score a point. With his arms and legs spread out, he jumped up into the sky and bounced up and down, a bright grin on his face. He looked like a star. Bright and blazing. Yeonjun scored the next point. They were like spinning orbits pushing and pulling away from each other. After they played for an hour or two, they collapsed on the floor, tired and drained, their shoes more worn out and their chest moving up and down from exertion. 

Beomgyu turned his head to the side and beamed at Yeonjun and said “Hyung, thank you.” 

Yeonjun looked back at Beomgyu with his sunny face, some strands of hair sticking to his forehead and a small swipe of grass stain on his cheek. Yeonjun’s hand reached out and pinched Beomgyu’s right cheek. “What for?” he asked. 

“I haven’t had that much fun in a long time,” Beomgyu admitted as rolled back on his back and spread his arms wide, staring up at the now ink spilled sky. 

“Aaawwww Gyu- you’re so cute,” the compliment slipped from his lips faster than he thought and he slapped his hand on his mouth. He was mortified.

Beomgyu looked back at him again, the corner of his eyes mirroring his lips and whispered “I like it when you call me cute hyung.” Was he trying to put Yeonjun to his grave? He was still young. This amount of cuteness in one person should be illegal. For someone who was so shy and blank faced a couple of weeks ago, the change to this teasing, adorable dongsaeng was making Yeonjun’s heart do funny twists and leaps. Yeonjun was hopeless.

Under the stars that napped and dozed off with the slow spin of the earth, both boys beneath the gaze of the moon forged a bond. 

Everything went well the next few weeks, as Beomgyu opened up more not just to Yeonjun and Kai, but to everyone. Days were richer and cloudless with him slowly coming out of his shell and speaking up more. Their study sessions were smoother, as they all clicked into place like a completed puzzle. 

It was great.

Until Beomgyu didn’t go to school for a week. 

He came back with a split lip, a cut just below his left eye and a bruise on his forehead. 

And everything collapsed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UHHH hiiii? I'm so sorry I'm a day late for my update this week BUT I tried to make up for it by making this chapter slightly longer. I am getting more busy with school and I also rushed this chapter but I hope you guys still enjoyed it. I don't have a beta reader so if there are any mistakes please point them out to me. I also changed the number of chapters in this fic from 20 to ? because I've only planned 10 chapters so far and I don't know how many more I'll write to reach the end. 
> 
> Special thanks to lauus, Sweetcookies, korimin and emmm for commenting and all of the people that bookmarked this fic and gave it a Kudos. You guys are so precious. It is honestly insane that this fic got over 500 hits I'm still feeling shocked. 
> 
> You guys encourage me to write more and more and hopefully you guys won't kill me for that cliff hanger. Please I'm fragile. 
> 
> Thank you once again! I love you all <3


	4. BeomGONE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beomgyu doesn't go to school for a few days. He comes back with bruises and the rest of them kind of lose their shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLS DONT KILL ME FOR THE LATE UPDATE I MADE THIS CHAPTER LONGER AS AN APOLOGY OKAY 
> 
> The chapters are going to be longer now that the story is progressing and I'm having a lot of fun with the plot!
> 
> Next chapter will be fluffier than this one I promise!

Yeonjun was worried. 

It was a Thursday, and it’s the third time he’s been to school early this week--simply for the reason that Choi Beomgyu has not responded to any of their messages and calls since they saw each other at the arcade last Saturday. For the first few days, Soobin, ever the voice of reason, suggested that perhaps Beomgyu was just ill. Whilst this placated Yeonjun for a while, there was still a sense of doubt and concern that niggled on the forefront of his mind. Beomgyu did not show any signs that he was sick last weekend; he had buzzed from game to game, from air hockey to mario kart to the claw machine. He seemed so animated and vivacious that Yeonjun knew it was not because he was sick. And the fact that he knew Soobin’s attempts at reassuring him were more of a desire to believe that Beomgyu was just resting at home triggered a fear of exploring other possibilities far worse than they imagined. All Yeonjun could do was wait, since none of them knew where Beomgyu lived. They only knew that he lived with his cousin.

Now that he had time to think about it, they didn’t really know Beomgyu at all. Yeonjun knew the basics; his favourite colour, favourite food, that he plays guitar, that he moved here from Daegu, and that he really liked board games. Jenga could be, and was, brutal. But Beomgyu’s personal life remained a mystery. Who was his cousin? Why did he move to Seoul? Why didn’t he live with his parents? 

The past few days had not only been hell for Yeonjun, the others were also visibly affected. Huening Kai has not stopped spamming their group chat every morning and every night in the hopes of getting a response. 

**[Soobin's Bread Hoes]**

** _Monday 7:30_ **

**cutie-kai <3**

BEOMGYU HYUNG WHERE ARE YOU

**cutie-kai <3**

OMG DID HE DIE????

**Soobbin~~**

Kai I’m sure he’ll come soon 

**cutie-kai <3**

I WALK IN 

**cutie-kai <3**

AND U WEREN’T THERE

**cutie-kai <3**

UR ALWAYS EARLIER THAN EVERYONE

**Me**

Yah

**Me**

how can I even hear you screaming through text

**Me**

Its Monday calm the fuck down

**cutie-kai <3**

:o

**cutie-kai <3**

:0

**cutie-kai <3**

:O

**cutie-kai <3**

BINNIE HYUNG 

**cutie-kai <3**

JUNNIE HYUNG SAID A BAD WORD 

**Me**

You brat

you swear all the time

  
  


**cutie-kai <3**

LIES

**Hyunnie~**

Beomgyu hyung save me from Kai’s whining

** _Monday 8:26_ **

**cutie-kai <3**

WHERE IS HE 

**cutie-kai <3**

THE TEACHER IS HERE HE IS STARTING SOON

**Me**

??? why is he still not there??

**Soobbin~~**

I’m sure he’ll text us

**Soobbin~~**

You guys need to get off your phones tho 

**Soobbin~~**

You don’t want to get caught by the teacher

**cutie-kai <3**

:O

**cutie-kai <3**

BUT UR ON UR PHONE TOO

  
  
  
  


**Hyunnie~**

Kai’s phone got confiscated 

**Hyunnie~**

He is now pouting and sulky 

**Me**

HAHAHA

  
  
  


** _Tuesday 18:08_ **

_**[cutie-kai <3 changed the group name to BeomGONE]** _

**cutie-kai <3**

BEOMGYU UVE BEEN DEAD FOR 2 DAYS

**Me**

Yah call him hyung you brat

**cutie-kai <3**

***hyung

**cutie-kai <3**

Give us a crumb pls 

**cutie-kai <3**

You really out here

**cutie-kai <3**

Letting us starve like this

**cutie-kai <3**

Tell us if ur okay at least 

**cutie-kai <3**

TT-TT

**Me**

Gyu you missed out on our library session

**Me**

How dare you leave me with these brats

**Me**

Save me 

**cutie-kai <3**

JUNNIE HYUNG 

**cutie-kai <3**

SO CUTE 

**cutie-kai <3**

UwU gyu is such a cute nickname

**Hyunnie~**

He really out here 

**Hyunnie~**

exposing that he missed Beomgyu eye-

**cutie-kai <3**

WE BEEN KNEW

**cutie-kai <3**

BIG WHIPPED ENERGY 

**Soobbin~~**

Both of you completely ignored the fact that he just insulted you?

**Soobbin~~**

Btw ouch

  
  
  


**Me**

(:(:(:

**Me**

Kai :) Taehyun (:

**cutie-kai <3**

oh shit

  
  


**Me**

Do :) you :) want :) me :) to :) kill :) you (:

**cutie-kai <3**

iM A bAD biTCH yOU cAnT KiLl mE

**Me**

I can kill your dolphin plushie

**cutie-kai <3**

I HAVE THE POWER OF GOD AND ANIME ON MY SIDE

**cutie-kai <3**

OH SHIT HYUNG I TAKE IT ALL BACK 

**cutie-kai <3**

DONT KILL HIM 

**Hyunnie~**

weAK

**Me**

Kang Taehyun 

**Me**

Watch :) out (:

**~Hyunnie**

Oh shit I have to walk my tv 

**Hyunnie~**

bye bye 

**cutie-kai <3**

Suddenly

**cutie-kai <3**

I have to water my shoes 

**Soobbin~~**

Smh cowards

  
  
  


** _Wednesday 6:30_ **

**cutie-kai <3**

BEOMGYUUU HYUUNG

**cutie-kai <3**

GYU HYUNG 

**cutie-kai <3**

REPLY TO US 

**Me**

.Only I’m allowed to call him Gyu

**cutie-kai <3**

I CAME IN EARLY THIS MORNING FOR YOU

**Soobbin~~**

The aggression of that one period oof

**Hyunnie~**

Is Yeonjun-hyung 

**Hyunnie~**

Even trying to hide how whipped he is at this point

**Me**

Taehyunnie :)

**Me**

Be careful :)

**Hyunnie~**

my apologies ur excellency 

**cutie-kai <3**

EVEN THE HYUNGS ARE IN OUR CLASSROOM 

**cutie-kai <3**

AND ITS ONLY 6 AM 

**cutie-kai <3**

And Yeonjun- hyung iS ALWAYS NEARLY LATE

**Hyunnie~**

Whipped

**Me**

Taehyun I will BREAK your knee caps

**Hyunnie~**

DO YOU SEE THIS ABUSEJFKDJFKD

**cutie-kai <3**

I can confirm that Yeonjun-hyung is now chasing Taehyun

**cutie-kai <3**

Where he even got that umbrella from idek 

**cutie-kai <3**

Rip hyunnie’s phone

**cutie-kai <3**

Soobin hyung is now being used as a human shield

**cutie-kai <3**

RUN TAEHYUN RUN

**cutie-kai <3**

AND NOW TAEHYUN IS ON THE FLOOR

**cutie-kai <3**

You really missing out on this 

**Soobbin~~**

They’re both on timeout

  
  


** _Wednesday 16:30_ **

**cutie-kai <3**

ITS BEEN 3 DAYS 

  
  


**cutie-kai <3**

T H R E E 

**cutie-kai <3**

I swear beomgyu hyung ILL FIGHT YOU WHEN YOU COME BACK 

**cutie-kai <3**

EVEN IF JUNNIE HYUNG KILLS ME FOR IT 

**cutie-kai <3**

YOU LEFT ME ALL ALONE 

**cutie-kai <3**

BORED IN CLASS

**Me**

No fighting allowed

  
  


**Soobbin~~**

You really should’ve been paying attention

**Soobbin~~**

Your exams are coming up 

**Hyunnie~**

WDYM NO FIGHTING ALLOWED

**Hyunnie~**

I NEARLY DIED YESTERDAY 

**Hyunnie~**

WHERE DID YOU EVEN GET THE UMBRELLA

**cutie-kai <3**

TAEHYUN SITS TOO FAR AWAY FROM ME

**cutie-kai <3**

NO ONE SITS NEXT TO ME IM SAD

**Hyunnie~**

Wow you really just ignored Soobin hyung

  
  


**Soobbin~~**

I- I

**Soobbin~~**

:(

**cutie-kai <3**

NOOOOOOOOOO

**cutie-kai <3**

I DIDNT MEAN IT LIKE THAT 

**cutie-kai <3**

BUNNNYYY-HYUUUNG 

**Hyunnie~**

PFFFTTT 

**Hyunnie~ **

SOOBIN = BUNNY

** _[you changed Soobbin~~ to BUNNY] _ **

**BUNNY**

YAH YEONJUN 

**BUNNY **

DONT JOIN IN TOO

**Me**

It’s funny 

**Me**

Bc you know it’s true 

**Me **

If Beomgyu was here 

**Me**

He’d agree with me 

**cutie-kai <3**

None of us went to the library today 

**cutie-kai <3**

We were too sad 

**cutie-kai <3**

So bunny hyung bought us all roasted chestnuts 

**cutie-kai <3**

JUST TELL US IF UR OK 

**BUNNY**

We haven’t seen you since the arcade last weekend :( 

**BUNNY**

We’re all worried 

**BUNNY**

And Yeonjun hyung’s all sad 

And that was the last time Yeonjun checked their group chat. He knew that the others would alert him if Gyu finally messaged them back. 

Soobin tried to help in the way that he could. He began gathering the notes and work that Beomgyu has missed. He also whispered to Yeonjun that yesterday he had tried to pry into the student records for Beomgyu’s address before everyone arrived for the weekly student council meeting after school, but he was nearly caught by the Headmaster’s assistant. 

All of them knew that, like Taehyun, Beomgyu was a morning person. How both of them wake up early and immediately become productive was beyond Yeonjun’s sleep deprived comprehension. So all of them have been coming to school at an ungodly hour. Needless to say, the school was empty, except for the poor, tired receptionist that let them in.

The two seniors were currently in the maknaes’ classroom. Huening Kai’s head was resting on Soobin’s shoulder, his eyelids fluttering in his listless sleep, his brows slightly furrowed. He was still clutching his phone like a lifeline. Soobin sat impeccably still, as he tried not to wake the younger. His usually composed face was drawn into a tight frown. His runic glasses hid the puffiness and redness of his eyes, but Yeonjun knew Soobin. Like the rest of them, he was most likely also unable to sleep due to the cloud of worry that formed in their minds. Beomgyu would soothe the worry away. 

Taehyun was more quiet about the entire disappearance. However, Yeonjun knew that he was just as worried as the rest of them. As a Guardian, the magical sub-class that has an affinity for protective magic, Yeonjun knew that Taehyun was more distressed than he appeared by the way he kept a surveillance rune at the places Beomgyu usually went to; the music room, the library and the dance studio and telling them all if there were traces of their missing friend. He was currently leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest and his fingers drummed- clearly restless but trying to reign in his uneasiness. 

Yeonjun himself was currently sitting on the desk in front of Kai and Soobin, with his chair facing backwards, so he faced both of them. Fiddling with his runic earring, his eyes bore holes on the table, deeply examining the scars and scratches left on the once immaculate surface. They were all too sleepy to speak to each other this early in the morning. They were all waiting. What they were expecting at this point, Yeonjun doesn’t know. Any sign and they would be grateful. 

Kai jerked awake, his eyes opened wide and his nose twitched repeatedly. 

“I smell blood,” he announced. 

This startled everyone; rogue magical beings were not uncommon, but an attack happening so early in the morning and at school of all places raised alarm bells. They all scrambled to their feet and huddled together at the centre of the room, with Yeonjun at the front and the rest standing behind him. Footsteps echoed from the hallway into the classroom. 

The door creaked open. 

It was Beomgyu.

Except,

It wasn’t. 

The slightly hunched figure clutched onto his bag straps, his chin tucked into his chest, eyes trained on the floor. His silver-grey hair was placid and lacked its usual lustre. He seemed unaware of other people in the classroom he walked into. This figure was a mere shadow of the Beomgyu they saw this weekend. 

Kai spoke first, and uttered a fragile “Beomgyu-hyung?” that seemed to reverberate around the room. 

Beomgyu raised his head in alarm. His eyes shook in fear, and almost impossibly curled into himself more and stumbled as he took several steps back away from them. 

Yeonjun held up his hands in a ‘back off’ gesture towards the others and looked back to nod at Soobin, signalling that he should approach alone first. In return, Soobin held Kai and Taehyun’s hands, in silent support for their distressed maknaes. 

“Gyu?” Yeonjun started to approach him carefully, his footsteps light and barely making a sound, as if he was approaching injured prey.

“Beomgyu, it’s okay,” he continued, his voice deliberately soft and quiet, until he was standing right in front of the other boy. 

Yeonjun cautiously raised his right hand. He brushed over Beomgyu’s chin and tilted his face up. His thumb gently stroked the cut on Beomgyu’s cheek.

“It’s okay. I won’t hurt you.” 

Amber eyes still refused to meet Yeonjun’s, and he would be lying if he said that that action didn’t just stabbed him in the heart and ripped it to shreds. Yeonjun, oh so carefully, used his index finger and lightly traced the fading injuries, from his cut on the corner of his lip, to the cut on his cheek just below his left eye, to the green bruise that bloomed on his forehead. 

“I was really worried,” Yeonjun continued in a faint whisper, as he tried to get a word or reaction. Anything out of Beomgyu. 

His hand fell away from Beomgyu’s face to stroke his hair instead. Amber eyes finally looked back at Yeonjun earnestly. They were big and bright from tears that threatened to overflow. 

Beomgyu released his grip on his bag straps and he surged forwards, bridging the gap between them, his arms circling Yeonjun’s waist and his smaller frame slotting perfectly against Yeonjun’s. Gyu’s hands gripped the back of Yeonjun’s shirt and scrunched up the fabric. Yeonjun placed his chin on top of Beomgyu’s head and drew soothing circles on his back. Using his other hand to pull Gyu even closer to return the embrace, he muttered consoling words and closed his eyes, wishing he could reverse time to prevent this from happening to Beomgyu of all people. 

Whoever did this will pay. Yeonjun will make sure of it. But for now, he focused all of his attention into comforting the boy in his arms. 

Yeonjun heard the others approach them, their footsteps echoing in the classroom. Huening Kai joined the hug, which prompted the others to take the cue, and they enveloped Beomgyu completely. Yeonjun was brought back to the first time they all had lunch together and how they ended up in a pile on the floor, shaking with laughter. Now, one of them was shaking in fear, sadness, or pain, or all three. He doesn’t know. All he knew was that the person who hurt Beomgyu was going to pay. They are not going to get away with this. 

When their group hug reluctantly ended, Beomgyu allowed himself to be guided by Taehyun to his usual seat in their classroom. Huening Kai sat down right next to him, and mimicked his position earlier with Soobin, but this time his head was on Beomgyu‘s shoulder and he was hanging off of his hyung’s arm with his hands intertwined in one of Beomgyu‘s. Taehyun himself pulled another chair from a different table so he could sit on Beomgyu‘s other side, and began searching inside his bag. He pulled out a small carton of almond milk and offered it to Beomgyu, as Yeonjun and Soobin claimed the seats in front of the maknaes’ table. 

“Beomgyu-ah, what happened?” Soobin started the questions they very much needed the answers to.

Beomgyu fidgeted with the almond milk in front of him and avoided eye contact before he gently replied, “I was out last Sunday night…buying some snacks from the convenience store and there were some drunk people arguing outside.”

“I tried to walk past them discreetly, but one of them noticed me. H-he called out to me, but I ignored him and this made him- angry. Next thing I knew, he started-he started hitting me,” Beomgyu paused as he used the straw to stab his milk and took a sip, before placing the drink back on the table.

Yeonjun clutched onto Beomgyu’s now free hand as he resumed.

“I didn’t know who they were, what they wanted from me or why they started to hit me. But I couldn’t fight back, I promised myself I won’t…a-after some things that happened before, in Daegu…” 

Yeonjun heard the clear strain in Beomgyu‘s voice as he recounted his story, so Yeonjun squeezed his hand and said, “You don’t have to tell us the rest. Next time, you should be more careful. Try not to go out so late at night.”

Kai, who was uncharacteristically quiet, finally asked, slightly pouting, “Hyung, why didn’t you text or call us? I would’ve bought you so many snacks for your recovery.”

“Ah, during the fight, my phone fell out of my pocket and they stepped on it, I’m sorry,” Beomgyu clarified, offering a small smile to reassure their youngest. 

“Hyung you should still try to tell us. We were worried and we didn’t know how to reach you,” Taehyun interjected.

Beomgyu turned to Taehyun. “Don’t worry too much about me. My cousin, Namjoon-hyung, even missed his lectures for the past few days to take care of me while I was resting.” 

Whilst Beomgyu tried to placate them of their worries, Yeonjun knew that there was more to be said about what happened. Who exactly were those people? Why did they suddenly attack someone when they did nothing wrong? And why did Beomgyu refuse to defend himself?

“We should go have pizza later,” Soobin suggested. “We need to cheer up by having some fun.” 

For the sake of making Beomgyu feel more comfortable, Yeonjun would let it go. For now. 

Eventually, students began to trickle into the maknaes’ classroom and gave Yeonjun and Soobin odd looks. Murmurs and whispers began to spread as more people arrived for school. As expected, students started to make speculations as to why the transfer student got beat up. The maknaes formed a barrier around Beomgyu and Yeonjun gave him one last reassuring smile before he made his way back to his own lesson.

Once they were in the hallway, Yeonjun removed his fox earring; he needed his heightened senses today. Soobin saw the action but said nothing, he just readjusted his glasses and nodded at Yeonjun. The older one of the two can tell that they both had a lot on their mind, but they don’t necessarily know how to word it. 

As they made their way back to the Senior’s block, Yeonjun heard snippets of conversations in varying volumes. 

“Did you see his face?” 

“Maybe he’s in a gang!”

“Woah really?”

“bruise on his forehead-“

“he was bullied?-“ 

“I heard... trouble-maker-“

“He got expelled from his old school!”

The clouds that were brewing in his mind were at a breaking point. The storm was raging and he was going to lash out. 

Soobin grabbed his arm and pulled him into a small piano practice room and quickly closed the door. Yeonjun punched the wall right next to the door three times, the plaster and paint cracking from the strength of the force applied. 

“Yeonjun- calm down,” said Soobin as he tried to placate him. 

Yeonjun exclaimed, “You saw how he looked, how he acted when he saw us and how he looked when we left!” as he whipped around to face Soobin. 

“Kai could still smell the blood... we both know that it was much worse than it looks now,” Yeonjun raged, breathing heavily from his sudden outburst. 

Soobin reached out to hold onto Yeonjun’s still clenched fists and said “I know. I know. But hurting yourself won’t get us answers.” 

His sudden fury was zapped from his body, all of his energy drained, leaving him empty. He slumped on the free chair in front of the piano and glared at his now scratched and red knuckles trickling with blood. He watched as the blood dripped and stained the floor. 

“We can ask Tae-hyung for help,” Soobin suggested “and we’ll find out what truly happened.”

“Right now, I’ll take what Beomgyu told us into account, but you and I both know that’s not the end of the story,” said Soobin, enforcing his desire to also figure out the full picture. 

“We need to get to class.”

And that was the end of their conversation. They made it back to their respective seats in time before their teacher arrived. 

Yeonjun kept his head low the entire day, and barely paid attention to his lessons. He drowned out the excessive amplified sounds that encompassed him, as he got through the trudge of classes by twirling his pen to distract him from his brewing thoughts, which caused twinges of pain to shoot up his hand from his outburst earlier. His healing worked their magic and by the end of the day the skin on his knuckles have smoothed and recovered; only the redness hinted at what transpired. 

He was the first one out of their classroom, once the teacher dismissed them. He could no longer stand such a stuffy environment. Soobin soon followed him after. It was a Thursday, so he had no clubs or lessons after school unlike everyone else. However, they all agreed to go for pizza after school, so Kai, Taehyun and Soobin were missing out on their lessons and duties. Beomgyu vehemently argued that they shouldn’t do it just for him. But Taehyun immediately shut his arguments down, saying that they were all craving for pizza and they needed to treat Gyu out for coming back. Beomgyu tried to protest some more before reluctantly agreeing. 

Soobin dashed off after class to tell the headmaster’s assistant that he was missing the weekly meeting. Kai has to do the same with his piano teacher and Yeonjun knows Taehyun already cancelled with his training with Jungkook-hyung. 

So Yeonjun weaved his way through the crowds of students gathered around the corridor after school. 

He felt a buzz in his pocket. He checked his phone; it was a private message from Kai. 

**cutie-kai <3**

Hi Yeonjun-hyung 

**cutie-kai <3**

It’s Beomgyu ^-^ 

**cutie-kai <3**

I borrowed Kai’s phone 

Yeonjun couldn’t help but smile. Gyu was too cute. 

  
  


**Me**

Where are you guys? 

**cutie-kai <3**

I have to talk to my teacher about some work I missed 

**cutie-kai <3**

Kai is going to his piano teacher 

**cutie-kai <3**

Hyun is coming with him bc he’s scared 

**Me**

Where should Soobin and I meet you then?

**cutie-kai <3**

I wanted to ask a favour 

**cutie-kai <3**

Can you please get my coat in my locker and I’ll meet you there??

**cutie-kai <3**

I told Kai and hyun to meet us outside after :D

  
  


**Me**

See you soon :) 

**cutie-kai <3**

Here’s my code hyung 

**cutie-kai <3**

17-36-20

**cutie-kai <3**

See you <3

Yeonjun knows it’s stupid to feel warm from a small heart emoji but he found himself grinning nonetheless. 

He began to make his way to the hallway with all of the first years lockers. The groups of students thinned, as they all made their way home or clubs or extra lessons. Yeonjun unlocked Beomgyu‘s locker with the code sent to him on his phone. 

A small note fell to the floor. 

It was a simple piece of paper and he bent down to pick it up. He flipped the paper to the other side. 

** _Dearest Beomgyu,_ **

** _You looked gorgeous today. I must say those bruises that I gave you this weekend really brought out your beauty. I keep thinking about when I saw you struggling and in pain...until our next meeting._ **

** _xoxo_ **

His mind blanked. The words were handwritten in elegant script, each character flowing right after the other. He was going to be sick. His heart was pounding out of his rib cage. All he could hear was white noise as his grip on the paper tightened. 

“Yeonjun-hyung!” 

He looked up. 

Beomgyu was at the end of the hallway.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading this fic. Please leave a comment about what you thought and if you liked it you can leave me a Kudos too ^-^ Comments encourage me to write more and I honestly feel so giddy reading what you guys thought about the chapter. 
> 
> Special thanks to my beta novaelixr! They've been so nice and encouraging and they helped me out a lot.
> 
> Thank you to JiHan_Minsungie, Sweetcookies, novaelixr, emmm and cattleya878 for leaving me nice comments. You guys are the best!


	5. Letters and Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The entire group goes out for pizza. Yeonjun takes Beomgyu home after and finally meets his cousin, Namjoon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SJDKSHLADKLSKJF IM SORRY I KNOW IM LATE WITH THIS UPDATE- but please forgive me because school this term was really really hectic (also holy shit this chapter is 6k long I didn't even know I can write that much) I'm changing my update schedule to updating twice a month instead of trying to put out a chapter per week. This is just so I can have more flexibility with the updates, especially since chapters are now getting longer, as the story develops. This is probably going to be the last update for 2019  
:(
> 
> BUT I am planning on updating again by the first week of January so please look forward to it!
> 
> I know I said this would have more fluff and I did focus more on their relationship but this is an important chapter in terms of plot development. There's also two hidden clues in this chapter I wonder if you guys can spot it?
> 
> Please read the notes at the end for more extra information :D

——————————————————

**_Dearest Beomgyu,_ **

** _You looked gorgeous today. I must say, those bruises that I gave you this weekend really brought out your beauty...until next time. _ **

** _xoxo_ **

His mind blanked. The words were handwritten in elegant script, each character flowing right after the other. He was going to be sick. His heart was pounding out of his rib cage. All he could hear was white noise as his grip on the paper tightened. 

_Lies. Lies. Lies. _

That was the first thought that registered in Yeonjun’s mind. He doesn’t know why Gyu lied to them about what happened this weekend. Was he being threatened to keep this a secret? Bullied? Perhaps there were some truth in Gyu’s words, but they’ve been twisted to bury the pain he felt. Who exactly was this person? And why were they targeting Beomgyu of all people? 

“Yeonjun-hyung!” 

He looked up. 

Beomgyu was at the end of the hallway and was running towards him with a stack of papers in his hands. 

He crumpled the note and shoved it in his coat pocket, hiding his clenched fists. He hoped the smile he gave Gyu wasn’t shaky. 

“Are you alright hyung? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost,” Beomgyu asked him. 

Yeonjun tried to laugh it off, his entire body suddenly feeling frigid.

“I’m just a bit hungry…come on, put your jacket on so we can get some food,” he said to reassure the younger that he was okay. 

He was not. Seeing the bruises that marred the Beomgyu’s face just strengthened his resolve to find the assailants. His nails were digging deeper into his palms, nearly piercing his skin. Yet that was what grounded him to remain calm. At that moment, he decided that he would not burden Beomgyu with this; he’ll hunt the letter writer down and confront them himself. 

As Beomgyu shoved his notes into his locker, Yeonjun noticed how thin his winter jacket was. Yeonjun unwinded his own scarf from his neck. 

“Gyu, you don’t want to catch a cold, okay? Bring a thicker coat next time,” Yeonjun said as he wrapped the woollen cloth around Beomgyu’s neck and secured it. 

The younger just grinned at him.

“Thank you,” he said, before he hurriedly shrugged his coat on.

Yeonjun held out his hand for Beomgyu’s to hold and the latter accepted with a small smile. The sight of the cut at the corner of his mouth made Yeonjun want to touch it and heal it away. He doesn’t have the ability to do that. He restricted himself, knowing that Taehyun has already texted him earlier about asking Tae-hyung to brew some diluted healing potions to speed up Gyu’s recovery without it looking too suspicious. Humans were a neutral subclass that were special because of the way they could be used as a magical conduit, due to their dormant magical cores. Beomgyu would recover faster this way, he told himself.

They made their way out of the school, hands still connected and swinging back and forth between them as they approached the others, who were also stuffed in their winter coats and scarves and gloves, at the school gate. 

Holding the soft, warm hand of the embodiment of sunshine only strengthened Yeonjun’s resolve to protect Beomgyu. When they reached the others, Yeonjun noticed Soobin and Taehyun shoot knowing glances at him and each other, which he promptly ignored, whilst Kai rushed to Beomgyu’s other side and complained about them taking too long. 

Yeonjun has decided, since that first lunch they had with Beomgyu, that he was one of them now, and they protect their own. Whatever it may take, there’s no going back. 

——————————————————

“Beomgyu, what do you want?” Soobin asked. They were seated in a spacious booth with Beomgyu in between Yeonjun on one side, with Taehyun, and Huening Kai and Soobin on the other. 

As a sweet treat to all of them, Soobin had taken them to a pizza parlour in the more upscale part of Seoul. The stripped walls of the restaurant revealed the auburn bricks stacked on top of each other. The low hanging lights suspended from the ceiling and lit candles scattered everywhere bathed them all in a warm ambiance, as they scanned the menu. The tantalizing aroma of freshly cooked food permeated the entire restaurant. The plush leather seats allowed Yeonjun to somewhat relax, especially in such a cozy atmosphere, whilst he tried to ignore the heavy weight of the note in his pocket. 

Once they’ve ordered their food, Huening Kai launched his story of how he missed Beomgyu because according to him, “Taehyun was not fun,” and how he “didn’t want to play games,” like Beomgyu, Which caused Taehyun to retaliate and snitch about how Kai got in trouble for using his phone. Their petty squabbles seemed to cheer Beomgyu up even more, and they all laughed when Kai recounted his story of the last time all 4 of them went swimming in school. 

During Kai’s chatter, Yeonjun linked his fingers with Beomgyu beneath the table. He needed the reassurance that the boy wouldn’t just disappear. Beomgyu looked up at him, the glow of the candles casting shadows from his eyelashes onto his cheeks. The smile placed on the younger’s lips reached his eyes and lit a small ember in Yeonjun’s heart; he couldn’t help but admire Gyu’s beauty- even with the bruises and cuts, he was perfect. Beomgyu laid his head on Yeonjun’s shoulder and the flames in his chest grew, his affection fuelled by Gyu’s cuteness. He could smell the faint scent of caramel apples from Gyu and if that’s the scent of his shampoo oh god Yeonjun is going to combust from all of this fluttery feelings. Soobin’s sudden coughing ruptured the bubble of comfort, and Yeonjun averted his eyes from Beomgyu’s side profile and met Soobin’s amused gaze. He stuck his tongue out, because he was mature, of course. 

Eventually, their food arrived. The wait was more than worth it. They ordered two pizzas to share, with a side of garlic bread, chicken wings and, of course, chips. They all laughed themselves stupid, swapping stories amongst themselves, like how Kai became friends with Soobin, which was because he spilled almond milk on him on the first day of school, not knowing that Soobin had an important speech later, or that one time Taehyun got stuck on top of a tree trying to rescue a cat, and last but not the least, Yeonjun tripping during the school’s play, which caused all of the tree props to topple over, revealing half of the hidden stage. 

Yeonjun watched Beomgyu listen to every story attentively, his reactions ranging from full bodied laughter to little snickers, and at one point, asking questions about why Kai thought it was a good idea to make an automatic catapult that launched slime for a science fair project. Yeonjun noticed that Beomgyu himself didn’t share any stories; he seemed content in just listening and interjecting every once in a while. Before they knew it, they had polished all of the food they ordered, and they all began to get ready to leave. 

“Gyu, you have a little something…there,” Yeonjun said, as he pointed to the crumbs at the corner of Beomgyu’s mouth. 

Beomgyu attempted to wipe the crumbs, but missed completely. It was absolutely adorable, but Yeonjun still reached over and brushed it off himself; he was not able to resist touching Gyu’s cute cheeks. 

Beomgyu uttered a quick thank you, and put his coat on. They left the restaurant to emerge onto the main streets of Seoul, ensuring that they all thanked the waiters of the restaurant for the delicious meal they had. 

Checking his phone, Yeonjun noticed that it was quite late at night. 

“Gyu, we’ll take you home, it’s not safe for you to walk around alone this late,” Yeonjun said. 

Before Beomgyu could say a word in protest, his hands shaking to reject the offer, Taehyun spoke first.

“Great idea Yeonjun hyung! You take Beomgyu-hyung home,” he said, a little too enthusiastically, “but Kai and I have a partner project for the upcoming showcase, so we can’t come with you.” 

“What do you mean we have a project for the showcase-“ Kai began to ask before Taehyun stomped on his foot, causing Kai to hop around in pain. 

Soobin loudly added, “Yeah, I also have some student council paperwork to finish, so I’m sorry. I think it’s only Yeonjun that can come with you today,” drowning out Kai’s exaggerated cries of pain. 

Yeonjun mentally slapped his forehead at his friends ‘subtlety’ and watched as all three of them walked off in the direction of Moonchild, undoubtedly on their way to meet Tae-hyung to tell him what happened today. Yeonjun had given Soobin the note from earlier as they were leaving the restaurant. 

Now, there was only Beomgyu and Yeonjun left standing in the middle of the street. Almost instinctively at this point, Yeonjun held Gyu’s hands and asked him to lead the way to his house. 

They spent the walk in companionable silence, occasionally disrupted by Beomgyu giving instructions. The neon glow of the shop signs and the flickering of the streetlamps overlapped and illuminated the path towards the towering apartment complexes that pierced the sky. The low rumble of the cars that passed them was the only sound to be heard. 

With their hands swinging between them, Yeonjun allowed his thoughts to take over. The affection he feels for Gyu was definitely more than anything he’s ever felt for another person. It’s a bit similar to how he feels with his other friends, but he knows this-- this feeling in his chest means something more. Huening Kai, Taehyun and Soobin had never caused such an instinct within him to protect, cherish and admire. He might have fallen. Like all of the cliche love songs Yeonjun used to make fun of said, his heart would constantly do somersaults whenever Beomgyu would do anything. Literally anything, and Yeonjun’s heart would stutter. 

“Look hyung- there’s a park!” Beomgyu exclaimed, pointing to a large green field hidden in the darkness, with a few lamps illuminating an empty playground. 

Beomgyu began to bounce on the balls of his feet excitedly and tugged on Yeonjun’s sleeve.

“Hyung, we need to go on the swings!” 

Yeonjun knows he really should deny Beomgyu’s request, because it _ was _ late at night and they have school tomorrow, so as much as it pained him, he replied, “Ah, Gyu maybe next time, okay? It’s extremely late and you need to rest-“ 

Beomgyu pouted. 

Yeonjun was fucked. 

“But hyung~~~just five minutes, please?” Beomgyu pleaded with wide and shiny eyes and that damn pout on his lips and oh god, with the aegyo; was he trying to kill Yeonjun? 

Yeonjun nodded, he didn’t exactly trust himself to speak at that moment. Beomgyu cheered and pulled Yeonjun towards the playground. He plopped himself on the swings and started to swing back and forth. Yeonjun sat on the other swing and relished in the look of joy on the younger’s face. It was worth it to see the look of happiness on Beomgyu’s features, compared to his terrified expression he had this morning. 

“Gyu, have you never been to this park before?” Yeonjun asked. 

Beomgyu stopped. “Hhhmm, I have seen it but I’ve never explored it. I really don’t go out much except for when I’m with you, hyung.

“Namjoon- hyung is usually busy with his studies and his music, so he rarely has time off. And when he does have time off, I let him sleep instead of asking him to go out,” Gyu continued. 

Both of them were now looking up at the pitch-black darkness of Seoul’s sky, the park like some sort of haven amidst the towering skyscrapers and the rumble of the cars that prowled the streets of the city. The trees have lost most of their leaves, the few that remained were clinging onto the last vestiges of the autumn air that still lingered, as the winter chill was soon ready to settle upon them. They allowed the noises of the outside world to lull them into a comfortable silence for a few minutes, as they both swung back and forth. 

“Thank you, Junnie-hyung.” 

Yeonjun glanced Beomgyu, who was still looking up at the night sky. 

“What for?” 

Beomgyu looked at him. They had stopped swinging, Yeonjun noticed. The dim lights from the street lamps hid Gyu’s face. He looked hallowed in the shadows, vulnerable and small, with eyes aglow and once again, Yeonjun found himself swimming in those golden orbs. 

“For caring about me. I know that you and the others were worried about me and I just wanted to say…thank you, hyung.” The absolute sincerity in his gaze contradicted the way his voice wavered. Yeonjun’s heart somersaulted in his chest- a familiar feeling he now associated with Choi Beomgyu. 

Yeonjun didn’t even know what to say. He was too overwhelmed with the trust that the younger expressed. He wants to place Beomgyu in a safe place and never let anyone hurt him again. He knows that there was still a threat to Beomgyu because of the note he found earlier. Yeonjun doesn’t know if keeping the note secret from Gyu was a good idea. He hated lying to the younger but he also didn’t want to alarm him by making him feel paranoid. The contradiction with his feelings made his skin prickle in discomfort. He opened his mouth to respond, ready to tell Gyu about what he discovered, but Beomgyu suddenly stands up from the swing. 

“Let’s go!” Beomgyu cheerfully said, smile stretched across his face,, breaking the few moments of silence that lingered after; the switch in his tone was forced, Yeonjun knew, but the way his words faltered made Yeonjun hold back his onslaught of questions. 

“Namjoon-hyung is probably wondering where I went. I don’t have a phone yet, so we should hurry,” Gyu continued as he readjusted his backpack and headed towards the exit of the playground. 

Yeonjun caught up to the younger and held his hand, and they left their intense bubble behind, returning to the teasing tone at the beginning of their walk. 

——————————————————

Yeonjun gawked at Beomgyu. They were standing in a lobby, yes, the lobby of one of the tallest and most affluent apartments Yeonjun had ever had the privilege of stepping foot in. 

“Uhhh, Gyu? Is this where you live?” He stared disbelievingly at the gold gilded doors, where an imposingly large security guard wearing a suit was stood with his arms crossed over his chest. Beomgyu just looked back at him and grinned.

The stone cold eyes of the man softened, and he smiled when he saw Beomgyu approaching.

“Welcome back Master Beomgyu.” 

Gyu flashed him a bright smile back and said, “Good evening, Mr. Fluffes.” 

The man named Mr. Fluffles raised his humongous hand and patted Beomgyu delicately on the head, then opened the intricately carved door and gave a small bow as he ushered them into an equally lavish room that most definitely did not resemble a typical entrance to an apartment block. 

The white wood floors made Yeonjun feel as though he should have removed his shoes before he stepped inside. Right at the centre of the room was a swooping chandelier suspended from the ceiling; each metal ribbon cascading down from above, like a waterfall of crystal rain. Light bounced off the jewels and reflected kaleidoscopes of colour on the creamy white walls. Aside from the hanging chandelier that screamed opulence, the entrance itself was barren, except for a receptionist who was typing away at his polished marble desk. He stopped typing as he noticed Yeonjun and Beomgyu. He stood up and bowed.

“Good evening, Master Beomgyu and Master’s friend.”

Beomgyu just gave a small laugh, and bowed as he responded. “Good evening, Mr Chuckles, I know that I’ve told you before that you don’t need to call me that every time.” 

What was it with these intimidating men and their absurdly goofy names? 

Seeing the puzzled look on Yeonjun’s face, Beomgyu giggled.

That’s right. He giggled. 

“I’ll explain it one day,” he whispered. 

Before the sound even registered in Yeonjun’s brain, he was pulled along to the elevator at the end of the hall. Beomgyu pressed a button and the doors slid open. They stepped in, and Beomgyu takes out a card from his coat pocket. He swiped it on the scanner where the buttons were. 

Where was he?

“Uhhh, I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before… but Namjoon-hyung’s actually a rapper,” Beomgyu said as he fiddled with his sleeves, smiling sheepishly at Yeonjun. “You see, I didn’t want people to like me because of who my cousin was, so I didn’t mention it. I’m, ah, sorry?” Beomgyu continued, the end of his words trailing off to sound more like a question rather than a statement. “Please don’t be mad,” his voice pitching higher as he bit his lip.

As if Yeonjun could ever get angry at Beomgyu. 

Yeonjun cleared his throat and flashed an amused grin back. “Gyu, I would never get angry over something like that.” 

Beomgyu beamed him and said “Great! You might know hyung, his stage name is RM-“

A high pitched shriek escaped Yeonjun’s body before he could help himself, and he quickly pressed his hand on his mouth so he would stop making stupid noises. Choi Beomgyu’s cousin is RM? The RM?

Beomgyu laughed so hard he had to use his left hand to clutch the wall for support. Yeonjun mouth was still open.

The doors slid open. 

And RM stood outside. 

Yeonjun was just about ready to die. 

“Hyung!” Beomgyu ecstatically exclaimed as he ran out of the elevator to hug Kim Namjoon, also known as genius rapper, producer and lyricist, R freaking M. 

Namjoon returned the hug with a smile, his dimples blessing Yeonjun’s existence. Yeonjun was still frozen in his spot because holy shit one of his idols is right in front of him and he doesn’t know what to do. 

“Who’s your friend, Beomgyu?” Namjoon asked. 

Beomgyu composed himself and tried not to laugh and said “Namjoon-hyung meet Yeonjun-hyung, he’s a senior from my school.” 

“Ah, so you’re Yeonjun,” Namjoon said with an amused look on his face, “I’ve heard a lot about you. Beomgyu talks about you a lot.” He whispered, conspiratorially, the last part of his sentence, while winking at Yeonjun, and held his hand out. 

He barely noticed Gyu shouting “Hyung!” in protest. 

Yeonjun convinced his feet to cooperate and move, stepping in front of his idol, shook said hand offered to him and bowed. He cleared his throat and finally replied, “It’s my pleasure to meet you and thank you for having me in your home, I’m a huge fan of your work.” He can only hope that his voice wasn’t as shaky as he felt. 

Namjoon just grinned back at him and said, “Beomgyu tells me you’re a good friend to him. Call me hyung.” Oh god, Yeonjun doesn’t know if he’s dreaming or not. 

He then turned to Gyu. “Ah…Beomgyu, I was waiting for you before I left. There’s an event that I have to go to, and I tried to convince my manager to let me stay but he said he couldn’t clear my schedule, “ Namjoon-_ hyung _ sighed as he pinched his nose in frustration. 

“I didn’t want to leave you alone in the house, but I’m really sorry, I’m going to be gone for a day or two.” Namjoon said, his tone clearly apologetic. His forehead was creased in worry and his eyebrows were furrowed, highlighting his frustration. 

Beomgyu quickly reassured the eldest and said, “Don’t worry hyung! I can survive by myself for a few days. When are you leaving?” 

“I’m actually about to leave now, I was just waiting for you to get home. I ordered a new phone for you that should get here tomorrow. Text me as soon as you can, okay?” Namjoon patted Beomgyu on the head. 

Yeonjun knows that with all of the security in the affluent apartment block, Beomgyu was perfectly safe, but the thought of him being alone for a few days didn’t sit well with Yeonjun. Especially after last weekend. 

“I can stay with Gyu for the next few days, if that’s okay? I know he’s safe here, in his home, but…” Yeonjun hesitated over his next words, not knowing how to justify his reason without revealing his huge crush on RM’s cousin. 

Thankfully, Namjoon-hyung interjected, “That would be great, if that’s okay with you Beomgyu?” Namjoon-hyung gave him a glance that made Yeonjun feel like an open book. Whatever it was that Namjoon-hyung saw, Yeonjun believed that both of them have a mutual desire; protect Beomgyu, at all costs. 

Beomgyu pouted. “I can survive a few days by myself, and I don’t want to bother Yeonjun-hyung.” He said as he fiddled with his sleeves. 

“You’re never a bother Gyu,” Yeonjun said. “What if I sleepover tonight, and we’ll see about tomorrow?” 

Namjoon nodded enthusiastically and Beomgyu looked back and forth at both of them before sighing. Gyu seemed to contemplate the decisions for a few more seconds before he sighed and nodded in agreement. Yeonjun cheered on the inside, his heart performing cartwheels. 

Namjoon beamed and picked up his duffel bag, giving Gyu one last hug, this one was longer, before stepping into the elevator.

“It was nice meeting you, Yeonjun. Take care of Beomgyu for me.” Namjoon gave a final wave and the elevator doors closed. 

Yeonjun turned around to see Beomgyu’s taking off his shoes. 

“Namjoon-hyung likes you,” he said as he untied his shoe laces. 

Yeonjun didn’t know how to respond, but such a glowing compliment made his cheeks feel hot. He followed Beomgyu and removed his coat, hanging it by the door and dutifully bent down to place his shoes right next to the younger’s. 

Beomgyu used the same card from the elevator and scanned it on the main door, where a key hole should’ve been. There was a small beep after a light flashed green and Gyu pushed the door open. 

The house, to say the least…was…big. 

Beomgyu led him to a gigantic lounge with a generously huge white sofa arranged in a ‘U’ shape in front of an equally gigantic tv. Numerous cushions of all shapes and sizes were scattered on the couch. Just looking at it makes Yeonjun want to sink into the fluffy expanse and take a long nap. A coffee table was situated at its centre and the veneered wood possessed a slight sheen to it, matching the shade of the floor planks. The right side of the room was encompassed by floor to ceiling windows, which gave the apartment a view of the twinkling towers of Seoul. Gyu dropped his bag by the sofa. 

“Do you want anything to drink, hyung?” Gyu asked as he began opening various cupboards that blended in with the walls of the- apartment? Penthouse? Castle? Yeonjun doesn’t know anymore.

Yeonjun found his voice and asked for a glass of water. 

He noticed the open plan kitchen to the left of the lounge and walked deeper into the house, standing near Gyu. The kitchen island was an icy, marble white, counter with a fruit bowl in the centre. Yeonjun observed the entire place; it was quite minimalistic, but cozy with a few personal touches, such as a picture of two kids on top of the coffee table (Yeonjun guessed that it’s Gyu and Namjoon-hyung as children), a painting of the moon that resembled the logo of Moonchild in one of the walls, and a few records and awards that lined the stairs leading up to the next level of the penthouse. 

“Uhhh…Gyu? Have you always been...” Yeonjun began, as Beomgyu handed him a glass of water, and hummed in reply while he sipped on some from his own glass. 

“You know…rich?” Yeonjun asked, knowing that his question was incredibly superficial. 

Beomgyu didn’t look offended or bothered by what he said- which Yeonjun was grateful for. He simply placed his, now half-empty, glass of water on the counter with a soft clink and stared at the reflections it created on the surface. “As far as I can remember, my family has always had money. I know my parents both came from very wealthy families,” Beomgyu said, a sardonic smirk tugged on his lips, “but money can’t buy happiness, and money can’t buy you love either.” Beomgyu looked up at Yeonjun. “Money…wealth…riches, at the end of the day, it’s all meaningless when you’ve got no one by your side.” Gyu‘s derisive mask cracked, his smile shifting to reveal barely concealed pain- but it felt wrong and it looked odd on Beomgyu’s normally joyous face. It exposed how Gyu has grown accustomed to the reality behind the heavy weight of his words. 

“Loneliness can and will cripple you, hyung,” Beomgyu whispered, looking back at the reflections of the glass on the cold counter. “People have left me and they will always continue to leave.”

“I’ll always be here for you, ” Yeonjun said, completely sincere in the meaning of his words. 

Beomgyu gave a wet, harsh laugh- almost hysterical- as if Yeonjun just made the Joke of the Century. Hearing such a sound slip from his lips grated on Yeonjun’s ears. There’s a twist in his heart, knowing that Beomgyu doesn’t believe the truth in his words- his intentions to be there for him. 

When he stopped laughing, Beomgyu held his gaze. “You can’t promise things like that, hyung.” He took a sip of his water nonchalantly, the shift in his tone and demeanor startling Yeonjun. “You haven’t seen all of who I am.”

Yeonjun can see the walls being built back up in the Beomgyu’s heart, his emotions being locked up and the light behind his eyes retreating back to the armour that assembled. 

Yeonjun moved closer, and pulled Gyu into a hug, the very thought that he has to suffer alone was soul crushing. At that moment, he looked worse compared to how he looked this morning- more fragile, ready to fall apart and just hanging by the seams. Yeonjun wants to beat himself up for even asking such a question. He wrapped his arms around Gyu’s waist and pressed him close; the scent of caramel and apples surrounded him. 

He doesn’t care. Beomgyu might not believe him right now, but he’ll convince him one day. He never has to be alone again. 

They stood there for a while, Beomgyu clinging desperately onto Yeonjun, and Yeonjun consoling him. He didn’t cry- but with the way his hands trembled, Yeonjun knew he was very close. 

Beomgyu was stronger than Yeonjun could ever be. 

——————————————————

The fine spray of water rained down on Yeonjun, smothering him in a cloud of warm mist. Taking a shower always relaxed him- his body switched to autopilot- allowing him to have a blank, free mind. With his eyes closed, all of his senses were overwhelmed. His hearing was drowning in the sound of the splattering water, all he could smell was the sweet scent of Gyu’s apple shampoo and his skin was numb from the feeling of the hot water that battered his body, beating the stress out of him. He instantly relaxed.

After the emotional roller coaster they both went through today, Yeonjun suggested that they should watch a movie to relax for an hour or two before sleeping. This lead to Gyu giving him some clothes for his pyjamas and showing him his bedroom. Gyu’s bedroom was neat and simple: his bed was at the centre, his desk situated at the corner of his room, facing the window and a few trinkets were sprinkled in- making it feel more like the Beomgyu Yeonjun knows. Two guitars were hanging on the wall and a few English books were left open on his desk, there was a candle that he lit when he studied- the caramel scent calms him down, Gyu explained, and a keyboard placed by the soft blue walls. Shelves of books lined a part of his room, containing manhwas, course books and a few folders. It was, all in all, a normal teenage boy’s bedroom. Except for the fact that there was a walk in closet connected to it, as well as an en suite bathroom. 

In the middle of Beomgyu’s bed was a large Ryan plushie that Yeonjun won for him when they went to the arcade. Yeonjun had noticed Gyu eyeing it as they walked around playing various games, so he decided that he was going to win it for him, no matter what. It may have cost Yeonjun a pretty penny but the look of pure joy on the younger’s face when Yeonjun gave it to him made Yeonjun wish he had captured his expression on camera. Seeing the plushie lounging on Gyu’s bed nearly made him melt into a puddle. 

He let the water flow over him, the constant rush of heat momentarily washing away his guilt, regret, and pain. He felt soothed, yet empty. 

He quickly got out of the shower, dried himself off, and put on the clothes that Beomgyu gave him. It was a simple white t-shirt and plaid pyjama bottoms, but it smelled like apples, and caramel, and Beomgyu’s own, natural, fiery scent that he couldn’t help but bask in. It was quickly becoming his favourite smell. 

He left the bathroom and went to the guest room opposite, and placed his uniform and other clothes back in his bag for him to take home tomorrow. It was a good thing that he always kept a spare uniform in his bag, because of dance practice. At least he doesn’t have to wake up early to go back home. His parents won’t mind that he was staying over at a friend’s house for a night or two; they were rarely home anyway. 

Yeonjun’s parents were his pack’s delegates. This meant that they travel all over Korea and other countries for council meetings. They were always secretive about the topics discussed in the meetings but recently they’ve been travelling more and more, for longer periods of time. At least they message Yeonjun every now and then to update them of their status. Yeonjun has never really minded that his parents were less present in his life than what was normal- he just spent more time with Kai in the pack house or with Tae-hyung at Moonchild Cafe. 

Yeonjun left the guest room and traipsed down the stairs to find a freshly showered Beomgyu plunking marshmallows into large cups of hot chocolate that he has prepared for both of them. Tendrils of steam curled in the air before dissolving, which filled the room with a heavenly scent. He was wearing the same type of pyjamas as Yeonjun, except his shirt was a light grey. Beomgyu looked up and gave him a small smile when he heard Yeonjun descend down the stairs. 

“Hyung! Let’s watch August Rush, it’s my favourite movie!” he exclaimed. 

Yeonjun watched as Beomgyu’s excitement shone out of him and followed the younger’s bouncing steps towards the ridiculously large couch. Beomgyu carefully placed their steaming hot chocolate on the coffee table and quickly grabbed the remote. Whilst he put the movie on, he dashed to turn off the light and plunged the entire house in darkness; the only source of light was the flickering TV screen and Seoul’s steady lights that projected from the windows to their right. 

Both of them sunk into various pillows scattered on the sofa, not really up for conversation- they just wanted to enjoy the movie and each other’s presence. Occasionally, Gyu took sips of his hot chocolate; he was completely engrossed in the movie.

Yeonjun found the movie interesting as well, but watching Beomgyu’s expression of total concentration was more entertaining. The plot itself was compelling and Yeonjun found himself getting sucked into the story. 

It was about a musically gifted orphan named Evan who runs away from his orphanage and searches New York City for his birth parents. Despite being 11 years old in the movie, Yeonjun admired Evan’s guitar playing as he drank his hot chocolate- he guessed this was partly the reason why Beomgyu loved the movie in the first place. When Evan played the guitar with his father at the park, Yeonjun’s heart melted a little. 

At some point during the movie, Gyu laid his head on Yeonjun’s lap. He began to play with Gyu’s hair, running his fingers through the strands- the younger just gave a quiet sigh in response, so Yeonjun took this as a sign for him to continue. 

The end credits of the movie rolled in and Yeonjun yawned. Exhausted, he was more than ready to drop into bed and finally rest. He looked down and saw that Beomgyu was already sleeping. He brushed Gyu’s hair out of his face to inspect the fading bruises more closely. The dim lighting of the room did not bother his heightened shifter eyesight. He lightly traced the injuries on Gyu’s face with his finger. The guilt creeped up on him again. He shrugged it off. 

Cautiously, he lifted Gyu’s head off his lap and gently replaced his legs with a pillow instead. He stretched his arms, and jumped around on the spot lightly to wake up his dead legs. 

Hating the idea of disturbing Beomgyu’s peaceful state, Yeonjun gingerly slid his left hand beneath Gyu’s knees and ensured that his right hand supported the younger’s back. He lifted him up easily- surprised that Beomgyu was lighter than he expected- and placed his head more comfortably on Yeonjun’s shoulder. 

Yeonjun tentatively walked towards Beomgyu’s bedroom upstairs, mindful of not jostling him too much, in case he wakes up. He was halfway up the stairs when Beomgyu moved to snuggle closer to him, his lips brushing ever so slightly on the pulse point on his neck, and dear god Yeonjun has never had this much of a challenge in his entire life. 

The combination of Beomgyu’s sweet scent of caramel apples, the soft breathing Yeonjun could feel from the rise and fall of the younger’s chest, and now his lips that grazed his neck- feather light- caused Yeonjun to freeze for a second, because his brain does not know how to process anything that was happening. 

He counted to ten, three times, and matched his breathing to it, trying to calm himself down, trying to ignore the flaming flustered burn on his cheeks and focus on the task at hand. Composing himself, he continued the climb up the stairs, mentally cursing the number of steps in the first place and, at long last, he reached Beomgyu’s bedroom. 

Delicately, he flicked the Ryan plushie from the centre of the bed and lowered Beomgyu down. He lifted the covers and tucked him in, hoping that Beomgyu will continue to sleep and stay in this relaxed, tranquil state. Leaving the door open in the off chance that Gyu might need him, he ambled over to the guest bedroom right across from Gyu’s own room and plopped down on the bed, worn and drained, not just from today, but from the constant fluctuations in his emotions throughout the week has sapped all of his energy. 

It was fairly late at night- perhaps it was even early in the morning- when Yeonjun’s mind slipped into the dream world. He didn’t know how long he slept when his slumber was pierced and then shattered by a blood curdling scream. 

Beomgyu. 

With his heart jumping out of his chest, he threw the blankets off and scrambled out of bed and raced to Beomgyu’s room. 

He couldn’t believe what he saw. He was rendered motionless as Beomgyu thrashed on the bed, clearly in the middle of a violent nightmare. But the strangest thing was that his body was lit with runic inscriptions. From his arms to his neck, he was branded by ropes of magical incantations. The pained grimace of agony that painted Beomgyu’s face and shouts of absolute terror snapped Yeonjun out of his trance and he placed his hand on the younger’s arm to wake him. Once his hand connected on Beomgyu’s skin, a burning sensation shot up his arm, blistering his palm. 

There was no doubt about it. 

Beomgyu has magic. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I googled Beomgyu's favourite movie and apparently it was August Rush. To be honest, I've never heard of the movie before this so I did not include that many details about it. I also made Beomgyu really rich to reflect how he is in real life. He might or might not be in my Rob List (how is he so rich?)
> 
> Thank you so much for all the people that clicked and left a Kudos on this fic. I am OVER THE MOON because of you guys and all the warm support you've given me. I started writing this fic because I was inspired by txt's concept and I just really wanted to get back into creative writing. 
> 
> Special thanks to JiHan_Minsungie, foah4byler, Sweetcookies, Rere, shiddo_san, Ttira and MinSugaGenius318 for leaving a comment last chapter. You guys are amazing <3
> 
> BIGGEST THANKS to my beta novaelixr for being patient with me for this update. You're the best <3<3<3
> 
> I hope everyone enjoys the winter break and whether you celebrate Christmas or not, I wish for you all to have a good rest and eat loads of food. We all need to recharge for the next year (next decade) ahead. 
> 
> Please leave a comment for me as a Christmas present about what you thought so I can keep improving this story! Or comment anything random it's completely up to you.
> 
> This is getting a bit long but I just want to thank everyone who's clicked on this fic once again. 
> 
> Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!


	6. Into the Dreamscape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A glimpse into Beomgyu's dreams and his past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I hope you've all had a happy new year so far! This chapter has been a struggle to write because of the way the chapter flowed in my mind and I couldn't find the right words that fit. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure if I'm fully happy with this chapter but I wanted to update this fic for you guys! (There's more important clues in this chapter maybe you'll notice it?) 
> 
> This chapter is from Beomgyu's perspective and so will the next 4 chapters, because I've decided to switch the character's POVs every five chapters. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it <3

Beomgyu was plunged into darkness. 

The fall from the abyss, all he remembered was a seemingly never ending journey of nothingness but the emptiness of the void and the whipping winds as he plummeted deeper into the recesses of his mind. To grasp, to pull, to push: actions that were all futile in his descent into the blankness. 

He clutched at his throat and attempted to shout for help, but no sound escaped his lips. His voice, his very being, was swallowed by the shadows. 

Beomgyu didn’t know how long he’s been sinking through the shades when he finally saw something. A door. 

He flailed his arms and legs, and launched himself at the door. His entire body was hanging in mid-air, with his right hand grasping at the latch. He twisted the door open, and then pulled the rest of his body through the entryway and rolled on the floor, his eyes closed and his chest heaving as he regained his breath. 

The first thing he noticed was the smell. 

The aroma of freshly cooked caramel cookies lured him to open his eyes, as he rubbed his aching head. He got up on his feet and blinked. Repeatedly. 

He was in a kitchen. Not just any kitchen- it was the kitchen in his childhood home. 

“Bamgyu-ah~ come down I have a surprise for you!” 

The air in his lungs was punched out of his body as he turned around to gape at a person he’d never thought he’d see again.

His mother. Beomgyu watched her, trying to memorize her features.

Her meticulous hands that carefully placed the freshly baked goods on a plate, her brown hair that was previously the same shade as his was pulled into a ponytail and, most importantly, her smile as she prepared a treat for her little boy. Beomgyu never thought he’d witness this again. 

Waddling over to his mother was a little boy with the brightest smile on his face. His wide grin did nothing to hide the gap in his teeth. Beomgyu watched as his mother met his younger self halfway and scooped him up in her arms, twirling them around, whilst showering kisses at his chubby cheeks. Shrieks of delight filled the room, but Beomgyu could only watch his younger self with an aching pang in his heart, knowing that he was going to lose it all. 

Beomgyu’s mother tapped his younger self on the nose and asked, “Guess what?”

He watched his past self giggle back to his mother, his expression only filled with bliss and joy. 

“I made caramel cookies for my favourite little cookie!” his mother exclaimed and small Beomgyu clapped his hands in excitement when he finally saw the plate filled with treats and made desperate grabbing motions towards the kitchen counter. His mother laughed at his younger self’s antics and dutifully handed one to his counterpart’s small fingers. 

The older Beomgyu watched as his younger self munched on the cookie, feeling intense jealousy for his younger self, even if he knows that he’s already experienced this. He walked forward, intent on holding his mother’s hand, intent on trying to get her attention back to the real him. 

However, when he touched her shoulder, she began to crumble, along with the rest of his childhood home. 

He screamed in surprise and disbelief, as he spun around watching his world fall apart. Not again please not again. His thoughts were filled with that repeating mantra. Piece by piece, she slipped away from him once more. 

He was back in the abyss, the all consuming darkness oppressing him. Traversing the darkness did nothing to comfort him, as the chill of the void shrouded him in despair. 

Then, his eyes saw the wink of a faint glimmer. Despite the ache of his feet and the weight of his heart, he ran towards his only hope- it was another door. He grabbed the door knob and slammed the it open. 

Beomgyu recognized this place. He knew it in his bones. From the familiar white piano, to the various guitars hanging on the wall, to the barely visible crack in the wall from when Beomgyu punched the wall in anger. He was back in the music room; specifically he was in his old school in Daegu. Beomgyu looked back only to find that the portal has vanished into nothing.

Beomgyu had a feeling that he knows exactly what memory this was. And he dreaded what was coming. 

Tentatively, he walked further into the music room, and sure enough, another Beomgyu was there, crouching behind the white ivory piano. It was him, from a year ago, slumped on the floor. His hair, midnight black this time, was in disarray, and his uniform was extremely disheveled from a fight he just had. His knuckles were torn- bloodied and bruised- his face a colourful canvas, painted with blues and blacks and blood. But this time, a cruel smirk twisted his past self’s face, as he stared at his stained hands. 

Beomgyu watched him with pity, as he too, touched his own face- to feel the fading pain from his most recent fight. He gave an anguished laugh, knowing that some things will never change. Even in Seoul, he’s still involved in fighting battles he had no business in. The only difference this time, was that he was done. Done with defending himself only to get knocked down repeatedly. His younger self though, there was a fire in his eyes, a drive to keep fighting. Beomgyu knows that flame will soon be distinguished.

The door slammed open. Beomgyu doesn’t need to turn around to know who it is. He watched his younger self sit up, eyes widening in surprise, as he immediately faced the person that entered. 

Jeongin. 

“Yah, Beomgyu, this is the sixth time this has happened this month. What were you thinking?” Resigned, the only person Beomgyu has l̶o̶v̶e̶d̶ cared about, asked him with a sigh. 

Jeongin looked exactly how Beomgyu remembered him: eyes soft and kind, with coconut brown hair flopping over his eyes, and still very much shorter than him. 

Beomgyu felt Jeongin phase through his incorporeal body. He was a ghost, powerless to do anything but watch as his past self hung his head in shame- a power only Jeongin possessed- as his only friend kneeled down to examine the damage. 

He observed as Jeongin rooted inside his bag for the first aid kit; he felt the same fond feelings in his body rise. His friend was way too prepared for shit like this to happen. Knowing how aggressive and destructive his past self can get, this was an expected occurrence. 

Whilst Jeongin cleaned the cuts on his knuckles in silence, his past self found his voice. He cleared his throat and said, “You should see the other guys,” with a cocky smirk on his face. Beomgyu felt sorry for his past self. All of this anger, this bravado, just made him look more pitiful and weak. He doesn’t even remember the specific reasons for his anger, all he knew was that he needed was an outlet. 

Jeongin sighed and replied, “I saw. You sprained three of their wrists, broke two of their noses and one of them had a fractured rib.” He dabbed the alcohol-soaked cotton more forcefully. 

“Hey! Hey! Careful, I’m fragile!” His past self exclaimed in protest. 

“Fragile, my ass, Choi Beomgyu! You wouldn’t be in pain if you stopped fighting so damn much!” Jeongin shouted. 

Beomgyu never told him that the reason for all those fights, all the pain, all the suffering, was because those bastards had the audacity to bad-mouth Jeongin. He was not going to back down when his only friend was disrespected. Jeongin was the only one that stuck by him, even after his mother died, even after his father left to go on numerous business trips, and even after all his fake friends used him just for his money. Ever since Jeongin met chubby cheeked Beomgyu at daycare when he was 5, he had stuck with him through thick and thin. Beomgyu fought for others because no one fought for him. Where was his father when his mother died? Where was he now, for that matter? Would it be more painful to wish his father died instead? All he ever wanted was for someone to be there.

Suddenly, he was reminded of his friends in Seoul. Soobin-hyung, Taehyun, Huening Kai. Yeonjun-hyung. They all inspired the same feeling of safety that Jeongin exuded. Beomgyu had promised himself that he wouldn’t get close to anyone after what happened with Jeongin, he never wanted to feel that kind of heartbreak again. Yet, all four of them had torn down the thick armour he had painstakingly built around his heart. For once, in a very long time, he found himself truly smiling. He can act like himself, he can be vulnerable, he doesn’t have to wear a mask of coldness that his past self used to carry like a shield. People used to judge him before, saying that he doesn’t care about anything. No, no, the problem was that he cared too much. 

His friends don’t know the real him. The black haired boy he was observing now might as well be a complete stranger. He was so sure that they wouldn’t accept this side of him, the side that’s still so furious at the world for abandoning him when he needed someone the most. His heart cracks a little more thinking about Yeonjun-hyung finding out about his tainted past. God, he was tired. Tired of being scared. Scared that one day, the people he cared about would leave him again, just like how his parents did. Just like how everyone left him. Exhausted and resigned, he has worn so many masks that he doesn’t even know the real him. 

He watched as his counterpart held Jeongin’s shaking hands with remorse in his eyes and said, “Don’t worry about me, you know that I can take care of myself,” his tone resoundly confident in his empty assurances. 

“I wish that you’d stop whatever it is you’re trying to prove,” Jeongin continued, his voice trembling as he met the sincere gaze of his past self. “I hate seeing you like this.” 

“Hey, please don’t cry over my dumbass self.” His past self tried to console Jeongin with a crooked smile, immediately concerned about his friend’s distress.

Jeongin and his counterpart hugged each other, young Beomgyu rubbing Jeongin’s back in soothing circles.

“I’m not worth your tears.” His firm tone did nothing to hide the conviction behind his words. 

Jeongin retaliated by smacking his bruised shoulder. The impact echoed in the room. “You really are a dumbass if you believe the shit that comes out of your mouth.” 

“HEY! Only I’m allowed to call myself a dumbass!” 

Jeongin laughed in response and Beomgyu watches the first genuine smile grace his counterpart’s face. 

Oh, how he missed Jeongin. 

The walls began to crumble and shift, the two boys completely unaware of the room collapsing in on itself. 

“No!” Beomgyu screamed. He wants to stay in this memory, he doesn’t want to return to the darkness. As if a tornado whisked into the room with the ashes of the memory whirling and spinning.

Beomgyu closed his eyes and willed with every ounce of his being, for the room to manifest itself again. He doesn’t want to lose Jeongin. 

He opened his eyes. He was in the same music room, but this time, his counterpart’s face was not adorned by a single bruise or blemish and miraculously, his hands were clean of blood. He was strumming the guitar that his father bought for him when he was 10, his black hair slightly longer than usual and falling over his eyes. A real smile tugged on his lips as his younger self played Crown, a song he wrote in his spare time. The older Beomgyu could see the shadow of the innocent boy hidden behind those haunted eyes. 

_ Oh, I’m the only bad thing in this world, _

_ Save me, maybe I have turned into a monster _

_ Got no one but you _

Sat in front of the ivory white piano keys was Jeongin, his fingers flying over the piano, playing the piano counterpart. He looked angelic, his coconut brown hair shining in the afternoon light, a bright grin on his face. Jeongin was singing, his melodic voice resonating in the room, staring right back at the black haired boy. 

_ You become my crown _

_ The sensation of going pit-a-pat _

_ My heart is in mayhem _

_ But I love it _

They sang together, in unison. A pair.

_ We have finally become perfect _

_ The two of us, us, us _

Because even in his fucked up past Beomgyu believed that in this music room, they created a magic island away from the ugliness of the world. In this magic island, there was salvation for a monster like him. A monster fuelled by anger, too mindless in his emotional constipation to cope with the suffocating loneliness. Yet, even in his sanctuary, he wore his masks to keep the only person he deeply cared about from realizing how much of a fuck up he really was. Jeongin deserved so much better. 

With an aching heart, Beomgyu longed to relive this memory again. He can do nothing but watch as Jeongin and his younger self laughed and had fun. 

Beomgyu had expected for Jeongin and his past self to dematerialise, yet every time, he was still surprised. Some fragments were dispersed by the wind whilst the others came together to form another version of Beomgyu. He was alone in the music room this time, his precious guitar still in its case. His past self checked his phone multiple times. 

Beomgyu knew that he was going to have to wait for many more hours. 

Jeongin wouldn’t come. 

A train shattered the memory. 

Where it came from, Beomgyu didn’t know, but the sudden rush of carriages blew the memory into fragments, flying off in shards, only to dissolve in the black abyss.

The seemingly never-ending train stopped in front of him, it’s carriage doors sliding open. It was inviting him to step inside. He considered his options. It was either: he had to stay at the oppressive blankness or take an unexpected journey, and get on the train. He chose the latter. 

Stepping inside the fairly normal train, he clutched onto the railings. Without missing a beat, the train moved again, snaking its way through the emptiness. Beomgyu would see brief flashes of other memories through the windows, like the time he and his parents had a picnic in a forest near their house in Daegu, or the time his father taught him to play the guitar and, of course, his day at the amusement park with his mother. The train traversed his memories erratically, slowing down and speeding up in unexpected moments. 

Clutching at the handles by the window, he thought he briefly saw Namjoon-hyung traipsing in the dark, a lone star in the shadows that started running towards him. But he blinked, and the train moved too quickly, and Namjoon-hyung was gone. Their next destination was his old school’s library. He saw glimpses of Jeongin being pressed against the shelves by a faceless being. He screamed and pressed his face closer to the glass to see who was hurting his friend. He sees his younger self round the corner of the shelves to start a fight. 

Then, fire. The library was alight, consumed by flames, smothered by the heat, and Beomgyu has never been more confused in his entire life. Pressing his face against the window, he desperately pounded on the pane, despite knowing that his attempt in getting Jeongin’s attention was futile. He doesn’t remember any of what he has seen and the concern clawing at his chest was rising, knowing that Jeongin was still at the library and he needed to get to him, but the train was moving too fast, zipping past more doors and memories that looked like streams of light and there’s no way he can get out- 

He looked up to see light bulbs blinking rapidly. Erupting, one by one, the burnt electrical smell permeated the air, as glass rained on him. The loss of light plunged him in the darkness once again. 

The train stopped.

The doors opened. 

He was in a forest. 

Thick trees with looming branches dappled the clearing with shadows. They swayed in time to the tune of the dancing wind, the sound of water in the distance adding to the harmonious melody. Shafts of light were filtered by the trees, lighting a path towards a spring. Tentatively, he stepped out of the train, his feet landing on the much softer ground covered in delicate daisies. He felt sorry for trampling on the fragile flowers but as he looked around, he has absolutely no recollection of this place. Pulled by the calming sounds of the rushing water, he traversed through the pleasant landscape, carefully stepping over the jutting roots of the trees emerging from the ground. 

The trees’ branches cleared to reveal a small waterfall, bubbling and burbling; undisturbed from any other human. Beomgyu watched as two koi fish, one as black as a crow's feathers and the other radiantly glowing with pure white scales, circled around each other, right in the centre of the spring. Beomgyu kneeled down by the edge, not caring in the slightest about his clothes, and dipped his hands in the crystal waters, relishing in the chill. 

“Beomgyu-ah,” a melodic voice called out to him. 

He turned around to see the most beautiful person he’s ever seen. From the man’s pastel pink hair framing his face, to his plush roseate lips, to the perfect slope of his nose, and the curve of his eyes, looking at him kindly. He needed to catch his breath. The man was wearing a white, silk hanbok, the material woven with patterns of beautiful flowers, his broad shoulders highlighted even more by the flattering cut of his clothing. Atop his head was a crown made out of lilies that made him look beyond ethereal. He approached Beomgyu slowly, his bare feet causing flowers to erupt on the ground from every step he took towards him. 

With a soft smile, he said, “Do not be afraid.”

Beomgyu doesn’t know what it was about the man- if he was even a man, he looked more like a fairy, with how refined and magical he looked- but he felt calm around him. Maybe he was an angel. The man knelt down right next to him, as they both looked at the water in front of them. He was stroking Beomgyu’s hair, the gesture oddly familiar and relaxing, coming from a man he’s never met before. At least, he thought he’s never seen him before. There was something so familiar, yet so foreign, about him that Beomgyu cannot explain.

“Beomgyu, you grew up well.” 

Beomgyu looked up at the man, stunned, not only by his impeccable side profile, but his warm words, too. He’s never heard anyone say that to him before. Nearly all of his fond memories of his parents was when he was a little boy. He essentially grew up alone, so hearing such words caused a sense of pride and contentment to flow from his heart to the rest of his body, knowing that maybe someone understood him. 

“Who are you?” Beomgyu finally asked. 

The man looked him right in the eye and Beomgyu was lost in the galaxies tucked in the lines of his irises. 

The man smiled at him and continued to pet his hair, “Who I am does not matter, Beomgyu. I’m just someone that’s trying to keep you safe. 

“Look at the water,” he instructed. 

Beomgyu stared at the crystal surface to see his reflection. The man removed his hand from Beomgyu’s hair and snapped his fingers, the sound resonating loudly in the forest, as the simple gesture caused the water to ripple. It shimmered, before it began to settle once again. Beomgyu examined his image. His ash grey hair transformed back into its natural brown, his face looking more like his father’s. He looked younger, more vulnerable, as his amber eyes scanned his reflection, perhaps the real version of him that he has tried so hard to bury. 

What was strange was that in the reflection, spikes had grown from his left shoulder, the tips resembling the mockery of a crown. He raised his hand to touch the water. The moment his fingers skimmed the surface, fire flared up from his fingers, ruining his reflection. Crackling and unfurling, the fire skirted to the rim of the spring. It, however, left the koi fish undisturbed from the fluttering flames. Beomgyu was transfixed by the dancing fire, entranced by the warmth they exuded, and the way they moved with the rhythm of the forest. The man’s hand rested on his shoulder, pressing him closer to his side. 

“I’m sorry, Beomgyu, that I cannot protect you for as long as I promised,” the man whispered. “I made a pact with your father that I would do everything I can to protect you… and it wasn’t enough.”

He sighed, dejected and morose. “Forgive me, for this is the only thing I can do to keep you out of harm’s way. I can’t prevent the inevitable, but I can lighten it, the burden placed on your shoulder is immense,” he stated, conviction lacing his words. He tilted Beomgyu’s face, gently, to peer at him, his face embodying the epitome of the divine. 

“Your power only grows stronger and stronger everyday. I can only use so much of my magic to try and contain it. You shine so bright, my little star.” He smiled. “A beacon that will draw out those that hide in the shadows.” Was he proud? Proud of what? 

Beomgyu didn’t know how to respond. He didn’t understand a single word he said. Magic? A star? No one has ever told him such things before. Combined with the warmth of the flames, the heat of the man’s hand cradling his face, and the intensity of his gaze focused entirely on Beomgyu, he swam in the nebula of his eyes. A word- a name struggled to emerge from his mind- he knew this man- the answer right at the tip of his tongue. 

Flashes of memories clouded Beomgyu’s mind. From the man visiting his house on numerous occasions to have “business meetings” with his father, to his appearances on his early birthdays as well as his presence in his mother’s funeral. A close family friend that taught Beomgyu to play the guitar, along with his father. He knew this man. 

“Jin-hyung.”

The man’s eyes widened before a startled laugh slipped past his lips. “This… just shows how your magic is screaming to get out,” Jin-hyung replied. “I locked your memories, placed your magic in a prison within you, and still, you remembered who I am.”

“My little star, your magic must nap for now. Please, forget me, fail to remember the past, and forget this encounter.” Jin-hyung said, more eager and fervent, his voice rising above the whispery tone he has possessed. 

“You must forget to survive.” 

Turning his head to view their reflection in the water, his face was smeared red, his amber eyes reflecting the fire around the spring. Jin-hyung’s hand that held his face was dripping with blood, staining his previously pristine white robe. He felt the wetness at his cheeks. Twisting around, the fire was no longer contained in the water. Walls of flames had sprouted all around them, encasing them in an impenetrable inferno 

_ I did this. _

“Forgive me, Beomgyu.”

Jin-hyung touched the boy’s forehead with his thumb, and a world of pain detonated within him. Beomgyu screamed, his hands clawing at his body, the heat scorching every inch of his cells. It was hot, too hot. Lights burst from behind his closed eyelids and his body _ burned, _ as if every part of him was being pricked by needles, incessant and unforgiving. He can feel a rope tie around his throat, suffocating him. He tried clawing at the merciless material that squeezed at his neck. His shouts of torment scratched and slashed at his throat and he wants it all to stop, he can’t take it anymore- he can’t take it- he can’t- he can’t-

_ BEOMGYU-AH! _

_ BEOMGYU! _

_ BEOMGYU, WAKE UP! _

He opened his eyes to see a blurry Yeonjun with a worried gaze focused on him. Yeonjun-hyung grabbed him and tucked him close to his chest, right by his heart, the soothing scent of mint immediately surrounding him. Beomgyu’s own heart was trying to break out of his rib cage, pumping far too fast, his mind was drowning in a frenzy, his body plunged into panic and the rope was gone but he still couldn’t breathe- oh please he can’t breathe- oh god he can’t breathe- he- can’t- please he can’t he can’t- 

_ Breathe _

_ In and out. _

_ Listen to my voice. _

_ In and out _

_ In and out _

_ In and out _

_ Do it with me _

_ In and out _

_ In and out _

Yeonjun-hyung’s arms enveloped him completely and Beomgyu grasped him back with a fervour. He guessed that his hyung was speaking, but his words barely registered in his heat-oppressed brain. 

_ In and out _

_ In and out _

Beomgyu was set aflame and he was scorching from the inside out and he can’t- he can’t--

_ In and out _

_ In and out _

_ In and out _

_ Come on, Gyu _

_ In and out _

_ In and out _

_ You can do this _

_ In and out _

_ In and out _

_ In _

_ And _

_ Out _

The sound of another beating heart sliced through the panic, the significantly slower pulse consistently resonating in his head. It was deep and lulling, echoey and constant. 

_ Thump _

_ Thump _

_ Breathe _

_ In and out _

_ Thump _

_ In and out _

_ Thump _

_ In and out _

_ Thump _

_ In and out _

_ Thump _

_ In and out _

_ In and out _

Yeonjun-hyung let him go to lift his face and fixed his eyes at him. “Breathe with me, Beomgyu. In and out. In and out. In and out.” 

He listened to Yeonjun-hyung, because he trusted him. He followed what he said, breathing at the slower pace set by his hyung. 

“Breathe, baby,” Yeonjun said serenely, swiping the tears that had spilled onto Beomgyu’s cheeks. He hadn’t noticed that he was crying. 

Beomgyu closed his eyes, because he doesn’t like to cry. He doesn’t want his hyung to see him like this. Concentrating on Yeonjun-hyung’s touch, and his voice- his remedy- he was able to emerge from the hysteria. 

“Hey, can you open your eyes for me?” his hyung’s soft voice said after a few minutes of silence. 

Drained, his gasping breaths eventually mellowed out. He was exhausted beyond belief, but Beomgyu squinted at Yeonjun-hyung to try and prevent the fresh wave of tears from escaping. 

Yeonjun-hyung gave him a reassuring smile. “Baby, I just need to go downstairs to get some water. I’ll be right back, I promise.” 

_ No, no, no. _

The older one tried to pull away but Beomgyu clung on to him, saying, “Hyung please don’t leave me.” Any other day and the way his voice cracked would’ve made him embarrassed to his core. At that moment he didn’t care, he doesn’t want to be alone. He can’t- he can’t be alone. 

“Shhh, don’t cry, I’ll just take a few seconds, okay?” 

And with that, he left. Beomgyu layed back down on the bed, feeling empty and bare. He tried to remember what his vivid dream was about, but no thoughts entered his mind about what could’ve possible triggered this. He felt as though he was missing something incredibly important, but the more he tried to think about it, the more the answer slipped past him. 

Yeonjun-hyung came back with a tall glass of water. He helped Beomgyu sit up and supported the younger as he drank. Once he finished with it, Yeonjun placed it on the bedside table and climbed onto his bed. Beomgyu watched as his hyung grabbed the plushie he won for the younger boy at the arcade and placed it into his hands. Hugging Ttubi, his Ryan teddy bear, he closed his eyes as he felt Yeonjun-hyung shuffling beneath the blanket to try and get more comfortable. An arm pulled him close and rested on his waist; the weight was comfortable and reminded him that he was not abandoned. He felt lips briefly skim his forehead, the kiss making his cheeks feel warm. Beomgyu snuggled closer to Yeonjun, his body slotting perfectly into his, like a completed puzzle. They laid in silence for two minutes, or an hour, Beomgyu doesn’t know. The sound of their breathing was the only noise in the room. 

“Goodnight, baby,” Yeonjun-hyung muttered, and gave him another kiss on the forehead. 

Beomgyu fell asleep in the arms of his remedy. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this update! I'm sorry for hurting Beomgyu but this chapter is quite important in terms of how the rest of the story is going to progress. The next chapter is going to be more fluffy to give you guys a break from all the angst ^-^ Shameless plug but I started another beomjun fic called [unknown has liked your picture] if you guys are interested. 
> 
> Beomgyu himself said that one of he would only eat cookies as a child and thats why one of his nicknames were cookie :) he's so cute I swear. Jeongin is I.N from Stray Kids if you didn't know and he and Beomgyu are very close in real life so I thought why not in this fic too? Jeongin and Beomgyu even spent their New Year's together along with another Stray Kids member Hyunjin!!
> 
> I would like to thank JunInSeptember, beebis, Rere, Sweetcookies, view_from_the_top and maxinoodles for your nice comments! 
> 
> Special thanks once again to my beta reader and friend novaelixr. This chapter would not be completed without her support! 
> 
> Please leave a comment or kudos for me. I seriously treasure every comment I get and I appreciate all the support you've given me. I want to improve my writing more and I've gotten so attached to this story and I wish that you guys are enjoying it too. 
> 
> If you guys want you can follow me on twitter @eyes_on_gyu 
> 
> Have a nice day <3<3<3


	7. Rediscovering Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the nightmare and a glimmer of hope towards the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello uhhhhh it has been a while since my last update but this chapter is longer so please forgive me???? I know I promised fluff and it is in this chapter! But its more towards the second half. I couldn't help myself with the angst :)
> 
> Trigger Warning for Gyu's sad thoughts at the beginning. It also implies depression but only for a few lines. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it <3

Beomgyu opened his eyes. 

Greeted by his ceiling staring back at him, he was surprised to see that his blankets miraculously remained on his body and had actually wrapped him in a cocoon. He usually thrashed around in his sleep, causing it to end up on the floor. He closed his eyes and curled up into a ball, hugging Ttubi closer to preserve the heat that lingered. 

Cold. 

The icy fingers of the air gripped him perpetually, it’s blowing breath caused goosebumps to crawl up his arm; it was as if he could no longer produce warmth to sustain himself. Even beneath the blanket, Beomgyu was at the mercy of the frigid frost that enveloped him. He shivered. 

He was drowning in silence. Silence has always oppressed him. He’s gotten so used to it that he considered it his closest friend. A shroud that protects him and heals him. 

It kills him. He hates silence. It always gave him too much space and time. Space and time to think about his past, what he has done, how things used to be. It held his tainted hands and accompanied him when he lost his mother, when he lost his father and when he lost Jeongin. He was used to silence. At least it never left him.

He learnt to hear the words between the gaps of silence. The ticking clock whispered “devil,” the shuffling curtains hissed “freak” and the radiator hummed “monster.” Their venomous words flitted from the draft to his ears and into his body; the poison coursed through his veins. It fuelled him to get out of bed. 

Body on autopilot, he fluffed his pillows, straightened his covers and placed Ttubi right at the centre. He went through the normal motions of his routine and went to the en-suite bathroom, careful to avoid looking at the mirrors- he doesn’t want to see the fading bruises. Averting his gaze from the reflective surfaces, he freshened up, brushed his teeth and did his business. Mirrors means that he has to acknowledge his existence. He really doesn’t know if he wanted to do that. Sometimes he found it easier to pretend he wasn’t really there. Sometimes Beomgyu wondered if he, too, was living. Maybe he was part of a simulation and there was just a glitch in the system. It distracted him- he doesn’t need reminders. 

The voices have been quiet lately- they would shush and he was able to hear more laughter in the gaps, more amusement, perhaps even joy. Beomgyu found a sense of contentment in he hasn’t felt in a while from the presence of his new friends in his life.They were a symbol of a fresh start, a new beginning, an improved life that he could live. A glimmer of hope bloomed in his chest and grew, its roots digging deep in his heart- he desperately clung onto this new hope despite how much he knows it’ll hurt when all 4 of them inevitably run away. But it was too late, there’s a deep seated satisfaction in his heart, a filling that mended some of the emptiness and the shards. For the past few weeks since he moved to Seoul, he achieved a level of serenity he didn’t know was still possible. There were still some days when he seemed too cold, too empty, too hollow- as if someone has scooped him out from the inside only to leave the shell behind. The other days were worse- he would be overflowing in sadness and guilt, anger and shame, the list goes on. Those days, he doesn’t know if he wanted to drown in the emotions (drown in himself) or if he wanted to fill himself up because he is too devoid of anything. Was he a walking casket? 

Remembering what occurred last night, he layed back down on the bed and he lifted his spotless hands up to examine them. Scratching at his wrist lightly, his fingernails dragged on the delicate skin of his arm. Red lines bloomed from beneath, warping his skin like shackles. Some habits were hard to break. 

_ What a change, they were always covered in blood. _

The punches, kicks, and hits made him feel. Anger, exhilaration, life. Silence was a constant companion he couldn’t shake off, but the brief moments of getting hit and hitting back- was the most alive he would feel in a long time. Jeongin made him feel the embers of affection- it sustained him. But like how every fire must be distinguished, he, too, left taking the only light Beomgyu believed in. He doesn’t remember why. He continued scratching. 

He forgets about things sometimes. People’s names, places, whole memories, gone from his mind. Robbed. Ransacked. Destroyed.

_ Memory loss is a symptom of depression. _

What did Yeonjun-hyung think of him now? Pathetic. Weak. Damaged. All of these things came to mind, but he didn’t want Yeonjun-hyung to discover this side of him. He was doing so well in hiding how wretched he was. The others didn’t know about how everyone abandoned him and they didn’t know about how he used to get into fights; even Beomgyu himself doesn't know the full answer to why those things happened. All he wanted was a fresh start. No more fighting, no more pain, no more loneliness. Maybe, at this point, he wanted to be alone. Alone, yes, but not lonely. 

There was dirt beneath his skin, beneath his hands- a thick film of unwashable regret. He felt tainted and rotten. Maybe, if he was better, his mother wouldn’t have died. Maybe if he was better, he would not have repulsed his father enough to leave him. Maybe if he was better and listened to Jeongin more Beomgyu would know why he left. All he can do is think about maybes.

He remembered the panic and hysteria and Yeonjun-hyung’s warm touch. The serenity he felt in the solace of his arms. 

_ He called me “baby.” _

For once, someone was there to witness him at his most vulnerable. And they didn’t walk away. This was dangerous. Dangerous because it gives Beomgyu hope that there is someone that will stay. He remembered Yeonjun-hyung’s arms wrapped around him. His heartbeat was real and very much alive. Warm. 

_ Will I forget this, too? _

A part of him seethed. It’s been a while since he has had one of his “episodes.” He felt so content last night, hanging out with his friends, introducing Yeonjun-hyung to Namjoon-hyung and watching his favourite movie after a stressful day at school. Even after the incident of the drunk people outside the convenience store beating him up on his way home last weekend, this was the closest he had felt to finding a home. 

After his first day of school in Seoul, his chatty seatmate wiggled his way into his personal space. Huening Kai resembled a cherub, with his full, squishy cheeks, his kind eyes and his curly brown hair that tumbled over his forehead. Kai was pure and true in his intentions in befriending Beomgyu. He tried to keep his mask of indifference firmly on when he was at school, but the dejected expression on Kai’s face when he rejected yet another lunch invitation made him feel even more shit than usual. The younger tried to get closer to Beomgyu. Kai had spent most of his lunch and break time with him, accompanied him during free periods and they often had study sessions together after school. Beomgyu even allowed Kai to accompany him to the music room, where he would often camp when he couldn’t bear the silence at home. Huening Kai was a talented pianist and Beomgyu nearly cried the first time he heard him play. After all this time, Jeongin still remained in his heart. 

Soon enough, another boy in his class named Taehyun began tagging along. At first, he was quiet, so Kai’s chatter about his day filled the space that otherwise would be awkward when they remained in the classroom during break time. Taehyun was good-looking, with his sharp-angled nose, his burnished brown eyes wide and inviting. He gave off a sense of calm energy that grounded Kai when he got too rowdy. Beomgyu deduced that Taehyun might be more of the serious type, but he was sorely mistaken when Taehyun would say his savage one liners that Beomgyu can’t help but crack a smile at. He never missed the appeased beam that tugged on Taehyun’s lips. Their friendship solidified when Beomgyu saw Taehyun struggling at a math problem during lunch, his pencil in between his teeth, as he pondered over the solution. They were in the classroom once more, with an array of snacks and drinks scattered on their desks that would have seemed excessive- but they _ were _ three growing boys with a lot of appetite for junk food. 

“X = 5” Beomgyu had said, as he sipped his strawberry milk. 

Taehyun asked for Beomgyu to explain the answer, and the rest escalated from there. They helped each other with school work they didn’t understand and bonded over their shared hatred for Chemistry. To Beomgyu, Taehyun’s level-headed but friendly personality provided a different kind of comfort from his friendship with the bubbly Kai. He was a pillar of support, someone that Beomgyu can allow himself to lean on, even if it was something as simple as school work. It gave him the ease to breathe a little easier and care a little less when he has someone to talk to about stupid titration equations. 

Soobin was a surprise. Beomgyu didn’t know much about the student body president except that the entire school practically worshipped the ground he walked on. He wasn’t surprised. Soobin was a shining spirit- handsome didn’t quite encompass how beautiful he was. His statuesque figure infused with a natural elegance made him stand out from any crowd. Beomgyu thought he looked like one of those perfectly carved sculptures at museums. A walking, flawless masterpiece. What made Beomgyu understand the school’s reverence towards him was when he first witnessed one of Soobin’s speeches in their weekly assemblies. He spoke clearly, his confident voice cutting through the large hall. But towards the end, he stumbled over the school’s English motto and said “todorrow” instead of “tomorrow,” and the tip of his ears burnt a bright fire red. Nevertheless, he powered on, but a smile and a hidden laugh tinged the end of his speech before he hightailed it off of the stage. Beomgyu found it funny how a 6 feet tall boy practically ran off of the platform. As he saw more and more of Soobin in passing, he realised that he was just an oversized bunny with cute mannerisms that made him all the more endearing. 

It turns out that Soobin was a close hyung to Huening Kai and Taehyun. He dropped by their classroom one day during lunch to “hand out the new student council rota.” Beomgyu soon discovered that he was just there to dote on the maknaes. Soobin was really bad at lying. Kai was already cute without trying, but with the addition of Soobin’s presence, he ups his cuteness factor by several levels. He would shamelessly whine and do aegyo to get a reaction from Soobin, and the older would smile at him fondly and ruffle his hair with what could only be described as a smitten look in his eyes. Beomgyu often made eye contact with Taehyun and the other would mouth _ idiots _ under his breath. It was a common occurrence to see Kai’s gangly limbs wrapped around Soobin, during the few times the older joins them for lunch- he used the excuse of being bored at lunch because his senior friend (later revealed to be Yeonjun) kept on sleeping. Beomgyu figured that Soobin just wanted to see Hyuka more. Even Beomgyu, who has only known them for a short period of time, could tell they like each other, but they were either too thick to notice each other’s feelings or they were ignoring it for some reason. Taehyun acted like he was disgusted by their public displays of affection, like when Kai gave Soobin belly rubs or when Soobin squished Kai’s cheeks for 5 minutes; Beomgyu secretly found it cute. 

Beomgyu and Soobin naturally became friends. They didn’t see each other much unless Beomgyu was with the maknaes but the moments spent with Soobin always made him feel warm. The older was incredibly observant, like when he realised that Beomgyu doesn’t eat much, or eat at all, in school. He’d have a snack or two, but never a full meal. Soobin started to bring three packed lunches and offered one of them to Beomgyu. Soobin was incredibly sweet. Beomgyu thought that he was like a mum friend, always there to look out for him and his friends. 

He met Yeonjun last. Not that he wasn’t aware of Yeonjun’s existence, it was quite the opposite, in fact. Beomgyu recalled the moment when he met Yeonjun’s eyes when the headmaster was giving him a tour of the school. Although he didn’t know that it was Yeonjun at the time, the intensity of his eyes bored right through Beomgyu anyways. They were sharp and angled. Foxlike. Beomgyu felt transparent for a moment, and the other was looking right through him. It was a brief moment shared between them, and he never thought much of it. He can’t deny that he thought the older’s alluring charm was fascinating. Yeonjun was a legend in their art focused school that was filled with extremely talented students, which said a lot. His name was always at the tip of everybody’s tongues. 

“Did you see? Yeonjun is 1st for dance again!” 

“Wow- Is he having a dance solo like last year?” 

“He’s performing a rap song for the autumn showcase.”

There was always a buzz about how Yeonjun did this and Yeonjun did that and did you hear about how Yeonjun said this?… Beomgyu, like always, was never really interested in school gossip and tried to keep to himself, only responding politely to fellow curious classmates. He didn’t interact much with the famed senior. However, he would often see his retreating figure after school when he was alone in the practice room with his guitar. They’d exchange nods as acknowledgement- but that was all that transpired. 

They officially met when Soobin invited Beomgyu for lunch at the rooftop. The rejection to the kind offer was at his throat when Kai interjected saying that he’d love to join them. By then Beomgyu really had no choice. It wasn’t like he’d be able to resist Kai anyway. They arrived later than everybody else because Kai rushed his musical theory notes right before it was due in an hour. Beomgyu was incapable of seeing Kai get stressed, so he offered some help.

When they arrived at the rooftop, Soobin and Taehyun were already finished eating. Hyuka dove into Soobin’s extra snack reserves. Yeonjun was napping and unaware of the addition to their group, and Beomgyu plopped himself in between Tae and Soobin and began to eat. It wasn’t that he was unwelcome to their group, the others made sure that he was always included when they conversed and made jokes. However, he knew that these people have built their friendships over the years, just by the way they can lean on each other, hug each other, and make harmless jibes. Beomgyu was an outsider, who had peered into the ideal world he always wanted to have. He remembered how Kai teased Yeonjun and how Taehyun joined in. Natural. They were friends. True friends. He was reliving that memory. The moment he seemed to fit. He wasn’t unwanted and discarded. All five of them ran around the roof terrace that day, uncaring of anything else but the bliss in simply being young. Beomgyu treasured how his ribs ached from laughing too hard, running too fast and smiling too wide. 

That day was momentous. He felt like he belonged. 

Yeonjun was different. He was just as attentive as Soobin, as mindful as Taehyun, and as sweet as Hyuka. Yeonjun doted on Beomgyu and treated him with care. Beomgyu felt- loved. He cherished spending time with Yeonjun; from their library sessions, to the occasional visit to the dance studio when the older was practicing too hard, and the way Yeonjun seemed to know when he needed something or wanted to say something. 

He wanted to stand up. He can’t. He really doesn’t want to.The ceiling was still staring at him and his tainted hands.

Yeonjun held his hands all the time. The touch was welcome. God, Beomgyu was so touch-starved. He never initiated hugs himself, yet he doesn’t think he can admit how much he loved it when they hugged him, or put their arms around his shoulders, or when they squished his cheeks. The others showered him with plenty of skinship and he couldn’t feel more relieved. They were so warm and he always felt too cold. He hopes that they would never notice how he’d always cling on just a little longer. 

He was so angry. Angry at himself, that he had managed to mess it up again. He was a freak- too weird to have anything that is good and true. He was lonely. 

There was a knock on the door. He stopped scratching. The door creaked open.

“I made some breakfast,” Yeonjun-hyung said, his footsteps getting louder as he approached Beomgyu. 

Beomgyu didn’t know how to reply. Why did his hyung make breakfast? He should’ve left already. 

Yeonjun stood over Beomgyu, his brows furrowed in worry, his teeth pulling at his bottom lip in obvious apprehension. His blue hair framed his face- it was so shiny, so soft looking- hair that would’ve looked unusual on anyone else but him. Beomgyu lived for the moments Yeonjun’s deep brown eyes looked right at him, not over him. He can pretend that maybe someone could see the pain he hides in the recesses of his soul. It makes him feel like he was _ here _ , that he existed. Beomgyu’s clothes were a bit small for Yeonjun, but on his frame, he looked like a model coming off the runway, even if they were just casual clothes. His fingers twitched. They itched for a hug, something to hold, for warmth. He craves affection, for simple touches, for love. But he _ can’t _. He knows it doesn’t end well. So he looked away. 

He felt the bed dip and then Yeonjun was lying down next to him, their bodies close but not quite touching. The scent of mint was still prominent but Yeonjun also smells like freshly cooked pancakes and chocolate. The older grabbed one of his hands and held it between his own. Warmth. 

“Squeeze my hand twice if you don’t want to talk about last night,” Yeonjun said. His voice was like honey, sweet and comforting. 

Beomgyu squeezed his hand twice.

The older hummed, “Squeeze my hand again if you’re not ready to get up yet.” 

Beomgyu could cry. How can someone so understanding, so kind, and so warm hearted exist?

He repeated the action. 

“I don’t know what happened last night Gyu, and I don’t need to know. I just need to make sure that you know you can come to me if you need anything.” Yeonjun paused. “ I care about you and I don’t like to see you in pain. As your friend, I’m here to make sure you’re comfortable, that you’re happy. I love seeing you smile, Gyu. I love hearing you laugh. I’ll always be here for you.” 

Overwhelmed, Beomgyu didn’t know how to respond to that. He would never dare to dream of happiness. No, happiness is something you have to work towards, something you have to strive for. But holding Yeonjun-hyung’s hand- maybe, just maybe- he was ready to put in the work. 

Yeonjun spoke once more. “Squeeze my hand if you want a hug.”

No matter how much will power Beomgyu had to resist the offer, he simply couldn’t. He was learning how to open up, to go after things he wanted, to do things he loved. And right now he really wanted cuddles and comfort. 

_ Selfish, _the whispers called him. 

He didn’t care. 

And that was how he ended up with his arms around Yeonjun’s waist and his hyung’s hands enveloping his frame. His head was tucked into Yeonjun’s chest and he breathed in the intense minty scent. He sighed. This is what home must feel like- his hyung embracing him like he mattered, his warm touch lighting dead embers of hope within Beomgyu. He clutched onto his hyung tighter and Yeonjun kissed his forehead. 

Beomgyu never wanted to let go. 

\--------------

They eventually got up. Beomgyu doesn’t know how long they stayed in bed. Time seemed to do funny skips when he was with Yeonjun. 

Breakfast was delicious, the chocolate chip pancakes were soft and fluffy- perfect even. Beomgyu shovelled down as much as he can, he didn’t realise how hungry he was. 

“Slow down,” Yeonjun laughed and patted him on the head. 

Beomgyu chewed more purposefully, trying to savour the sweetness- the decadent taste of Yeonjun’s cooking was too irresistible. 

He swallowed. “Hyung, how are you so good at cooking?” 

“My parents are always on business trips, so I learnt how to cook for myself. You realise that ramyeon gets pretty boring after having it 5 times in a row.” Yeonjun grinned. 

Beomgyu was in the middle of shoving more pancakes onto his overloaded fork when he froze. 

“Hyung! We’re missing school!” 

Yeonjun laughed, his whole body was shaking, and Beomgyu doesn’t understand what was funny. He was such a nuisance, making Yeonjun miss school, and this is the 4th time he, himself, has been absent this week. Loathing the idea of how much work he was going to have to catch up on, he pouted and dejectedly placed his fork down onto the plate. 

“You looked so peaceful sleeping, that I couldn’t bring myself to wake you up,” the older smiled, “and Namjoon-hyung knows you’re not in school today, don't worry. He called me this morning, asking about how you were.” 

Appeased, Beomgyu continued eating and soon enough, they’ve finished all the food Yeonjun cooked. They helped each other with clearing the tables and washing the dishes before cleaning the counters. 

“Wait, hyung, what happened to your hand?” Beomgyu asked as he dried off the plates with a checkered dishcloth. Yeonjun’s hand looked burnt and tender, the flesh pink and red. 

Yeonjun simply hummed as he put away some of the spoons and forks away, and said, “It’s nothing, just had a little trouble with the stove this morning.” He gave Beomgyu a reassuring grin. “I found the burn salve in the first aid kit in the bathroom, so it will heal soon, don’t worry.”

Beomgyu felt guilty that his hyung was hurt, even though it wasn’t his fault. He must have given himself away because Yeonjun came close to him and pinched his cheek with his uninjured hand, and said, “Don’t feel bad, okay?”

Beomgyu tried to smile back, ignoring the weight that was ever present on his chest - it must have been enough, because Yeonjun went back to talking about their plans for the day.

Yeonjun said that for their free day, he was going to take Beomgyu around Seoul, since Beomgyu had never really explored the city before. Yeonjun mentioned that he wanted Beomgyu to meet a special hyung that owned a cafe in the city. They quickly got dressed for the cold weather outside. Yeonjun had to borrow more of Beomgyu’s clothes. Beomgyu doesn’t like to shop by himself, or go out alone for that matter, so his wardrobe consists of clothes in one design he liked, but in 7 different colours. Yeonjun picked out two matching cardigans, one in grey and one in green. 

“We should match.” His hyung smiled, as he handed Beomgyu the green one. “It’s like we’re wearing couple clothes.” Beomgyu didn’t know how to respond but he felt his cheeks grow hot.

Yeonjun looked devastatingly good in his clothes; Beomgyu had to stop himself from staring for too long. Bundling themselves up with their winter coats and scarves, they left the penthouse holding each other’s gloved hands, to go to a train station nearby to make their journey to Gangnam. 

Yeonjun showed Beomgyu around a popular area filled with a plethora of shops that sold popular street clothes, cosmetics and various trinkets. There was a music shop and of course the countless cafes that dotted the streets.

Entering a cute clothing shop, Beomgyu purchased a fluffy white jacket with matching gloves and a scarf, after Yeonjun insisted that he looked cute in it. The older couldn’t stop hugging and petting Beomgyu after he tried it on, insisting that he wears it as they look for items to buy. This resulted in them walking in a weird penguin-like shuffle that attracted the looks of some of the other people in the shop- not that they cared. Beomgyu realised that he doesn’t mind shopping, if it was with Yeonjun. Then again, he could probably say that for a lot of things involving Yeonjun-hyung. 

Afterwards, they come across a rustic jewellery shop, with a simple crystal necklace at the display window, by one of the more secluded streets that were tucked in amidst the crowds. Beomgyu doesn’t know what it was about that necklace- but he felt drawn to it. The swirls of blue and purple intertwined on the crystal’s surface reminded Beomgyu of a cloudy pond- the water was a veil he wanted to wade through to get to the other side. 

“Beomgyu.”

He turned around to see Yeonjun staring at him quizzically, “I called your name 3 times, are you okay?”

Now that his hyung asked, he did feel a bit faint, and he could sense the oncoming headache at the corners of his mind. He felt like there was something he forgot- the words were at the tip of his tongue and yet he can’t sift through his memories for what it was he was looking for. Shrugging it off, he squeezed Yeonjun’s hand twice and tugged him away from the shop, saying that he was fine.

Exploring around a bit more, they went in and out of shops just to see what they had to offer. They stopped by a food market to buy hotteok, which they munched on happily as they meandered down the streets of Seoul. Yeonjun spotted some rental bikes and insisted on cycling along the Han river, saying that the sunset would be amazing.

Quickly hopping on the bikes, they made their way along the river, following the flow of the water. Beomgyu gave a whoop of laughter at the sensation of being on a bike. It inspired some childlike nostalgia within him. Feeling brave, he let go of the handle with both hands and raised them in the air in triumph. Yeonjun was beside him, cheering him on. Naturally, they raced with each other down the river, chasing the remnants of the sun’s beaming rays making its descent from the sky. Beomgyu and Yeonjun eventually stopped cycling. 

They caught their breath, their faces hurting from laughing too much and their gloved fingers a little numb from the cold, nippy winter air. After their mini break, they hopped on the bikes again. Yeonjun cycled ahead slightly, leading Beomgyu in a route towards the cafe owned by Yeonjun’s hyung. 

Cycling through a maze of side streets, they delved deeper and deeper into the heart of Seoul. As they weave through the urban forest, Beomgyu felt fascinated by the areas he would have never known to exist without Yeonjun guiding him. In particular, he took note of a cozy bookshop that he was definitely going to visit on a different day. 

Yeonjun came to a slow stop in front of him and turned around, saying, “We’re here!” with a soft grin. 

Beomgyu marvelled at the coffee shop nestled in the corner of the street. It displayed the name ‘Moonchild Café’, the lilac scrawl of the fluorescent sign shining proudly, right above the large wooden door. There was a doodle of a moon and star right next to the name, the drawing emitting a soft glow, contrasting against the darkening sky. The large floor to ceiling windows of the café showed that it was fairly empty on a Friday afternoon. He didn’t realise that it was late already. Beomgyu and Yeonjun parked their bikes outside the shop and Yeonjun took Beomgyu’s hand once again. Beomgyu watched as his hyung twisted the door knob that was embellished with some kind of purple stone, and they entered the shop. 

The soft blue and purple glow of the UV lights lined around the walls painted the cafe in a warm wash of cold colours. Although this would have normally inspired a cold atmosphere, Beomgyu felt nothing but warmth as they walked towards the counter. Beomgyu only saw a group of students studying near the front of the shop and an elderly woman reading a newspaper by one of the corners of the room. There were vines sprawled all over the walls. He wondered if they were real. The entire café was basked in the scent of baked cookies and cakes and the lingering fragrance of freshly brewed coffee. Beomgyu doesn’t know how to describe it, but there was a certain energy, an indescribable buzz that he can’t name, present in the atmosphere. It was far from unpleasant- just a bit different. Beomgyu thought he might be imagining it, as Yeonjun remained unphased as they finally reached the counter. 

“Yeonjun! I haven’t seen you in a long time,” the man behind the counter greeted them enthusiastically. 

His melodic voice carried around the café, his grin bright and welcoming, exposing his hidden dimples. His hot pink hair that would look outrageously bright on anyone was styled to expose a bit of his forehead; it would’ve looked odd but the colour seemed fitting for the man behind the counter. Beomgyu was reminded of a cute bunny, from the way the man’s nose scrunched ever so slightly when he smiled. He was wearing a black hoodie beneath his lilac apron that had the same logo displayed outside the shop. 

Both of them politely bowed in return, with Beomgyu hiding slightly behind Yeonjun- the man behind the counter was too pretty, so naturally, he felt a little intimidated, even if the man nad been nothing but friendly so far. 

His eyes travelled towards Beomgyu and Yeonjun’s intertwined hands and his eyes twinkled in delight. 

_ Oh god. _

He tilted his head and asked, “What can I get for you today?” 

The blue lights of the room caused his hair to appear like it was streaked with purple. What is it with Yeonjun only knowing ridiculously good looking people?

“I’ll have the usual with a slice of chocolate cake please, Jungkook-hyung,” Yeonjun replied. 

_ Ah, so this was Taehyun’s vocal coach. _

“And what about you?” Jungkook directed his attention towards Beomgyu and damn, having those eyes staring at him caused him to flush. 

Beomgyu cleared his throat and said, “I’ll have a caramel macchiato please.” 

The man hummed and wrote their orders on a piece of paper and said, “Don’t worry, it's on the house, for one of my favourite dongsaengs and his boyfriend-” with a wink before he worked his magic by the machines, moving in a flurry. 

Beomgyu choked on nothing and Yeonjun sputtered trying to deny Jungkook’s words but the man simply laughed, his shoulders shaking as he giggled in delight. Jungkook sighed and gave them mercy, saying, “Don’t worry, I’m only messing with both of you.” 

“Jungkookie!” a voice called out behind them, saving Beomgyu and Yeonjun from the teasing. 

The newcomer’s steps thundered down the stairs at the back of the shop, and he barrelled towards Jungkook. He then jumped on Jungkook, who was ready to receive the man in his arms. this must be a daily occurrence. Beomgyu noticed how his bleached hair complimented his light grey hoodie, and oh god his face was perfection. He was wearing one long dangly earring that glinted beneath the blue lights. Auburn eyes fixed their sharp gaze on Beomgyu and Yeonjun, and if he felt flustered by Jungkook before, he felt downright mystified and confounded by this one. That was, until the man grinned, a warm, boxy smile on his face, his eyes crinkling into crescents. 

“Hiya, Yeonjunnie.” He paused, and Beomgyu felt like he was being examined. “-and Yeonjunnie’s boyfriend.” 

Jungkook cackled and Beomgyu felt his cheeks heat up. He thought Yeonjun would let go of his hand by now, but the older squeezed his hand tighter. 

_ Yeonjun-hyung hasn’t really denied it. _Beomgyu’s brain supplied. 

“Why are you laughing Kookie? Look at how adorable they are, they’re even wearing matching clothing.” The man grinned. 

He stuck his hand out. “I’m Kim Taehyung, but you can just call me hyung, and I own this café!” 

As Beomgyu bowed, he introduced himself and shook Tae-hyung’s offered hand. He felt a tingle traipse all over his body. The sensation was light and fleeting, and was gone when he let go of Tae-hyung’s hands. 

Taehyung turned to Jungkook and said, “Let’s give Beommie an extra special drink, since he’s Yeonjun’s very _ special _friend.” 

Before Beomgyu and Yeonjun can explain that they were really just friends, Taehyung skipped away from Jungkook and ushered them to a table close by to the counter and forced them to sit down.

Beomgyu watched in amazement as Taehyung whispered something to Jungkook before they worked together to finish preparing the drinks Jungkook started. 

“Sorry about the teasing,” Yeonjun said sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I just wanted to show you where I usually go after school and in my free time. The hyungs can definitely be a handful sometimes, but they’re honestly amazing.”

Beomgyu can understand why Yeonjun loves this place, from the cool but cosy ambiance of the café itself, and the friendly owner and barista. It seemed like an escape from the chaos of the city outside- a hidden paradise among the maze of buildings and capital dwellers. 

Taehyung soon returned with their orders and placed it on their table. “I added a little bit of my own magic-” he winked at Yeonjun- “Hope you enjoy~”

And he was gone. 

Beomgyu and Yeonjun didn’t realised that it had been a long time since they had a proper meal so they shared the chocolate cake. They devoured the generously sliced treat, the rich chocolate tasting absolutely divine. 

They chatted about what Beomgyu had missed the past few days. They talked about everything and nothing, from Yeonjun’s upcoming dance test to how Yeonjun used to attend art classes as a child, and how he was inspired by Namjoon to become a better rapper. Beomgyu was grateful that Yeonjun hasn’t pried about last night. He wasn’t sure if he was ready to open up about his nightmares, or his past for that matter. He doesn’t fully understand it himself, so he has no idea how he would even begin that conversation. 

Tae-hyung dropped in once to tease them for holding hands but Yeonjun just whined at him to go away. The blonde squawked and gasped dramatically, pretending to faint at how his dongsaeng had, quote-on-quote, “betrayed him for a cutie, Jungkookie they’re growing up too fast!” Jungkook-hyung lifted Tae-hyung up and apologised for his boyfriend's melodrama and for interrupting their date. At this point, they didn’t even bother to correct their hyungs. 

Tiredness crept up to Beomgyu and he yawned. He guessed from the darkness swallowing the streets through the window that it was now night, and the thought of bundling up in his blankets was very enticing. Yeonjun, ever so attentive, noticed his fatigue and proposed they make their way back to Beomgyu’s house. They gathered their shopping bags and said a quick goodbye to Tae hyung and Jungkook hyung before they hopped on a train to go back home. 

They arrived safely, and the moment Beomgyu entered his house, he kicked off his shoes and flopped face down on his sofa. He could hear Yeonjun’s melodious laughter behind him. 

“Hey, I know you’re really tired, but I have a surprise for you.” 

Intrigued, Beomgyu lifted his head up slightly to peer at Yeonjun, who was standing above him. 

Yeonjun pinched his cheeks. “When Namjoon hyung called earlier, I asked him if I can arrange a little something to cheer you up.” 

Beomgyu sat up fully, his curiosity winning over his exhaustion. 

“Soobin, Taehyun and Kai may or may not be coming over at any moment now for a group sleepover.” 

Beomgyu couldn’t help the smile that took over his face and he jumped up in ecstasy. He threw his arms at Yeonjun and his hyung lifted him up and spun him around. He then dashed towards the pantry like he was being chased by a pack of wolves calling for Yeonjun to help him arrange some snacks for their friends. 

When the phone rang from the reception asking Beomgyu if three teen boys were authorised to enter, Beomgyu joyfully announced that they were his friends.

_ They were his friends. _

Beomgyu ran towards the door with Yeonjun when he heard the elevator doors opening, to witness the sight of Soobin, Taehyun and Hyuka wrapped in their winter coats, holding their overnight bags, clearly wearing animal onesies beneath their jackets. He couldn’t help but laugh at their amazed faces and he welcomed them inside graciously. 

All four of them were like a light at the end of the tunnel, a glimmer of hope that he desperately clung onto despite how much he knows it’ll hurt when the light vanishes when they inevitably run away. 

But at the moment he doesn’t care. With his friends by his side, Beomgyu was willing to work hard to find his happiness. 

Maybe, just maybe, Beomgyu had found a new home. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading this chapter! I'm sorry for not updating sooner. My mock exams are starting soon and I don't have as much time to write :( However, I am planning on writing a quick Taegyu one shot for Valentine's Day and I hope to have another chapter done towards the end of February.
> 
> Big thanks to Sweetcookies, shiddo_san, ltxht and betaelgeuse for commenting last chapter! 
> 
> Many thanks again to my wonderful beta novaelixr :D
> 
> Please leave a kudos or a comment about what you thought of this chapter. I always look forward to reading your comments- it seriously makes my day! If you guys want, you can message me or scream at me on twt @eyes_on_gyu I want more Moa friends.
> 
> Have a nice day <3<3<3


	8. Dancing Nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beomgyu prepares for the Spring showcase.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI! Sorry that its been so long since I last updated :( School is just getting to me BUT I'm back. 
> 
> Thank you to Dennyh, shiddo_san and Violentpink for commenting last chapter! I love reading your comments.
> 
> This chapter is for my twin Max who wanted more jealous Yeonjun (don't kill me)
> 
> Massive thanks for my friend and beta reader novaelixr. I love you so much- thank you for letting me scream about my au all day!
> 
> Scream about beomjun to me on twt @eyes_on_gyu
> 
> Everyone please stay safe and keep washing your hands!

“Eight, seven, six, five, four…” 

Resounding sounds of stamping shoes marred the dance floor, the echoes of their fast movements and Beomgyu’s heaving breaths seemed far too loud to him. 

“Three, two and one” 

Beomgyu was nervous. 

As a performing arts school, all students were required to perform or create a piece to be shown off at the quarterly school showcase as a part of their grades. Beomgyu originally planned on signing up to do a duet with Kai on the piano and him playing his guitar. However, with Beomgyu’s growing crush on Yeonjun, he wanted to impress his hyung by doing a dance performance. He used to take dance classes as a child and he remembered how much he enjoyed it. Anxious to start dancing again, he was scared that he would fail to not learn the choreography in time or even worse- he won’t be good enough for Yeonjun, the top dancer in school. 

“Eight, seven, six, five, four…” 

And that was how he ended up in one of the school’s practice rooms with one of his classmates Hwang Hyunjin. He was the first person Beomgyu met at this school and he was a part of the school’s official dance team and student council, so Beomgyu didn’t feel as awkward asking him for help. Hyunjin was formerly his guide, showing him how to navigate the massive school, teaching him how to open his locker, and telling him who the nicest teachers were (and the worst), Hyunjin was very useful in his first few days of school. They were mere acquaintances at first but Beomgyu found the other boy funny and they grew closer bonding over their similar music tastes. Without the burden of his past, Beomgyu felt free to interact and make some new friends in Seoul. He was close to a few, like Yeji and Ryujin, Seungmin and Jisung, Hyunjin’s best friends. 

“Three, two and one” 

Beomgyu was thankful that Hyunjin agreed to his idea of doing a dance performance and he immediately wanted to brainstorm elements that they were going to include in their choreography. The moment the teacher announced the performances, Kai’s audible gasp of betrayal and disappointment was impossible to miss even when Beomgyu expected it. Hyuka pouted at Beomgyu all day and refused to talk to him. With the help of ice cream and _ a lot _of cuddles, Hyuka was no longer upset and brimming with excitement for Beomgyu’s performance. 

“Eight, seven, six, five, four…” 

A few hours has passed since their dance practice started. Beomgyu’s shirt was soaked with sweat, his ash grey hair in disarray and his muscles were screaming at him to stop dancing but he couldn’t bring himself to take a break. Hyunjin was in a similar state, with both of them at the last dregs of their energy supply. 

“Three, two and one.” 

Beomgyu watched every single move, every single twitch of his muscles, every single step in the mirror that was gradually fogging up. He didn’t want to do well. He didn’t just want to be good at dance. Perfection. That was the only thing he could accept. 

“Eight, seven, six, five, four…” 

They were nearing the end. Having finalised the entire piece yesterday, Hyunjin and Beomgyu were in the process of learning the choreography entirely before they could start polishing the finer, more minute details. 

“Three, two and one.” 

At Hyunjin’s final count, they both held the ending pose for 3 seconds, their chest heaving and their breaths laboured at the intensity of the exercise. 

Unceremoniously, they collapsed on the floor 

_ There was no room for mistakes. _

_ None. _

“Let’s go over it one more time.” 

Hyunjin laughed, breathless and clearly exhausted. “You need to take breaks, you know.” 

Feeling guilty, Beomgyu agreed that they would pick up where they left off tomorrow. Besides, he agreed to meet Yeonjun after his tutoring and dance practice ended. Yeonjun took it upon himself to take Beomgyu home every single day. He found it endearing that his hyung committed to ensuring he gets home safe, even though Yeonjun was unaware that he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself- or beating up anyone who wanted to try him. Still, Beomgyu held Yeonjun’s hand on the way home and sometimes the older could be persuaded to stay over for dinner.

Both Hyunjin and Beomgyu got up and gathered their school bags, ready to finally go home after a long day of classes and demanding dance routines. 

“Nooooooooooo!” Beomgyu groaned as he rummaged through his things.

Hyunjin looked over with one eyebrow raised.

He pouted forlornly. “I forgot my jacket at my locker.”

“Don’t worry, just take mine,” Hyunjin offered with a graceful smile as he handed Beomgyu his black dance team hoodie. It was similar to Yeonjun’s except this one had the name HWANG imprinted across the back instead of CHOI. 

Beomgyu gave him a radiant smile and thanked him. He immediately put it on, hoping to subside the constant chills he was still experiencing. It was slightly oversized despite Hyunjin and him being the same height, and smelt of fresh lavenders. He bid goodbye to Hyunjin, who was rushing to meet up with Seungmin at a nearby cafe. 

He walked along the empty school halls, on his way to meet Yeonjun at their arranged meeting spot. It was the music room Beomgyu used to go to when he started school here. Yeonjun was sitting at one of the seats by the piano, leisurely scrolling on his phone, 

“Hyung!” 

Yeonjun looked up and flashed Beomgyu a sunny smile. His expression however, faltered the moment his gaze narrowed on Beomgyu’s frame. A frown formed in his face as he approached the younger. Fidgeting with the slightly too long sleeves, Beomgyu was slightly concerned that he did something that somehow made Yeonjun angry. 

“Hyung?” Beomgyu inquired tentatively, afraid to make the situation worse. 

Yeonjun reached him and tugged on the strings of the hoodie. “Who gave you this?” 

“Uhhh.” Beomgyu laughed nervously. “I forgot my jacket in my locker so Hyunjin let me borrow his hoodie.” 

Beomgyu thought Yeonjun’s eyes flashed red for a second, before he was enveloped in a warm embrace. He had no idea what was happening but he returned the hug and snuggled up to his hyung. Yeonjun was secure, safe- he was home. 

“You smell like him.” 

Beomgyu was confused, but he agreed and said, “Hmm. He smells really nice.” 

Yeonjun tightened his embrace. Beomgyu did not realise how much he missed Yeonjun. Beomgyu was too stressed about the spring showcase so the time he spent with Yeonjun had been lacking. A stab of guilt poked his chest, as he realised he had barely seen Taehyun and Hyuka outside of lesson- Soobin too. He can’t help it. 

_ There was no room for mistakes. _

Yeonjun raised his head and squished his cheeks and said, “next time, take mine okay?” 

Beomgyu nodded in agreement, not fully understanding why Yeonjun was upset over him forgetting his jacket but he let it go. 

They let go of each other and made their way out of school. His hyung wrapped his right arm around his shoulder protectively as they walked. Beomgyu was still unaware of whatever induced this showering of affection, but he wasn’t going to question it. He was too sleepy, too tired, and too stressed to think of anything else. 

Yeonjun noticed his very lethargic state. It made Beomgyu’s heart flutter that Yeonjun was always hyper aware of his moods and general well being. 

The moment Beomgyu tripped over his own feet on their walk home due to exhaustion Yeonjun stopped. He maneuvered Gyu and placed his arms around his neck. In his half-asleep state, Beomgyu lazily climbed on Yeonjun for a piggyback ride. 

He couldn’t remember much after that- he must have fallen asleep. The only thing he could recall was the feeling of warmth and safety when he curled up on his bed. He did have a lovely dream of Yeonjun kissing his cheek. 

But that couldn’t be right. 

It was just a nice dream. 

——- 

Beomgyu was at dance practice again.

This time though, he listened to Yeonjun’s reminders and took breaks every once in a while. He and Hyunjin were in the usual practice room resting, before they had to pick up where they left off. Hyunjin was lying on the floor with his eyes closed. Beomgyu knew he wasn’t sleeping. 

Taking sips of his banana milk, Beomgyu poked Hyunjin’s rib and gave him a shit eating grin. He asked, “So are you going to ask Seungmin out or should I do it for you?”

Hyunjin jolted and Beomgyu laughed as he scrambled away from the other boy’s reach. Maybe, just maybe, Beomgyu doesn’t want death today. He ran around the empty dance studio with Hyunjin hot on his heels and Beomgyu’s peals of laughter reverberating around the echoey room. 

“I knew it was a mistake to tell you I had a crush on him!” Hyunjin shouted.

Stumbling over his empty banana milk carton, Beomgyu knew that that small mistake would be the cause of his doom. Hyunjin pounced on him and began to tickle him mercilessly. “Don’t you dare say anything to him!” 

Because Beomgyu knew what buttons to push, he stammered in between giggles, “You mean Seungmin? The love of your life? Your soulmate?” 

“That's it!” 

Hyunjin continued to poke Beomgyu’s ribs as he got on top of the younger. He sat down by Beomgyu’s hips and pinned the younger’s flailing arms to the floor. 

“Yield,” he commanded.

As a sign of maturity, Beomgyu blew a raspberry at Hyunjin’s face and snickered at the utterly unimpressed glare the older gave him. 

“Listen, maybe if you weren’t so scared you’d-” Beomgyu started before the door to the dance studio opened. Beomgyu craned his neck to see Yeonjun’s shocked face and tense frame. 

Hyunjin and Beomgyu scurried away from each other, with Hyunjin immediately standing up to bow to Yeonjun respectfully and saying, “Sunbae.”

Beomgyu however, went to his bag to check the time on his phone. The screen blared the numbers “19:00” and he groaned, forgetting that he promised his hyung they’d go home earlier today. 

Beomgyu ran to Yeonjun to hug him and channeled his persuasive powers through puppy eyes and said, ”Hyung I’m sorry but I need to stay behind for maybe another half an hour?” 

Yeonjun’s face was pinched, as if he was holding back from saying something. Feeling the tension his hyung exuded, Beomgyu let go of the older and stepped back, feeling awful that he was being a dumbass with his time management. Growing more scared by Yeonjun’s silence, Beomgyu looked back and forth at both of his friends, and realised that his hyung was glaring daggers at Hyunjin. Yeonjun’s unforgiving gaze did not relent on Hyunjin’s spooked face, at least until Beomgyu tugged on his hyung’s shirt. There it was again, that hint of red in Yeonjun’s eyes. It subsided when he looked at Beomgyu but his brows were still furrowed. For the nth time that week, Beomgyu felt awful for making Yeonjun upset. 

Shuffling his feet, Beomgyu tried to reassure Yeonjun. “Hyung, it’s okay you don’t have to take me home today, I know you must be tired.” 

Yeonjun didn’t respond immediately, as if he was weighing what to say. The moment Yeonjun opened his mouth to respond, Hyunjin edged cautiously towards Beomgyu and cut in saying, “Don’t worry Sunbae, I’ll take Beomgyu home so you can go home earlier today.” 

Beomgyu smiled at Hyunjin, thanking him mentally for saving him in his blunder. 

“See, hyung? I’ll be safe with Hyunjinnie, so go home and rest.” Beomgyu beamed at Yeonjun, knowing that his hyung needed more sleep, considering how busy he’s been with his duties as dance captain and his countless exams. 

With white knuckles gripping hard at his bag’s straps, Yeonjun nodded stiffly and said, “Text me when you get home.” His voice oddly sounded strained to Beomgyu. He watched his hyung walk out of the door without a backwards glance.

_ Huh. _

That was strange. 

“Let's go over the choreo one more time?” asked Hyunjin, interrupting Beomgyu’s train of thought. He nodded in response.

It was probably nothing. 

When he got home that night, he was too exhausted to think about anything else other than sleep. 

_ There was no room for mistakes. _

——- 

Beomgyu hurriedly opened his locker to get his lunch. He was supposed to eat with Yeonjun, Soobin, Taehyun and Hyuka today but he was running late. His dance teacher, Hoseok hyung, had wanted to talk to him about his routine and had glowingly complimented his rapid improvement, considering he had not danced for a long time. Receiving praise made Beomgyu feel warm, the validation giving him confidence that all of his efforts for his performance dedicated to Yeonjun was going to go just fine. 

He grabbed his lunchbox that Namjoon packed for him when he noticed a scrap of paper tucked in between his books. 

_ Another one. _

** _Dearest Beomgyu,_ **

** _You look happier- smiling more and more as you dance your weak little heart out. I can’t wait to have you all to myself. One of these days we’ll meet again._ **

** _xoxo_ **

He crumpled the note, livid that someone could keep on invading his privacy. Ever since he returned to school after his altercation with the drunk people arguing in the street, he began to receive revoltingly sweet letters of devotion. They were not normal love notes, no. Their sickeningly cloying tone made Beomgyu afraid that this stalker of his would do something to him. Varying from mildly threatening to full blown descriptions of what they’d do to him, it was nauseating how he considered it ‘lucky’ to get a milder message today. He had been on high alert recently, ensuring that this didn’t affect his friends, especially Yeonjun. He was over-protective enough as it was. He sighed loudly, taking his lunch and walked towards their music room to meet the others. 

Beomgyu walked in to find Huening Kai playing the piano with Soobin right next to him. Yeonjun was sitting at the stage with his earphones in, whilst Taehyun sat in one of the desks, reading a textbook. 

“Sorry I’m late. I was with Hoseok-hyung, we discussed some things about Hyunjin’s new ideas for the choreo, and potentially changing it,” Beomgyu apologized as he dropped his bag next to Taehyun. 

Yeonjun glared at the floor, his legs swinging as they hung off the stage as he asked, “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather have lunch with Hyunjin?”

This question startled Beomgyu, and he paused before he responded with a question of his own. “What do you mean?” 

Yeonjun raised his head to meet Beomgyu’s eyes and ripped his earphones out, the cold cut of his glare chilling Beomgyu to his core. “I’m just saying you’ve been spending a lot of time with him, so why didn’t you just spend your lunch together?” 

Stunned, Beomgyu was rooted to the floor, unable to move- Yeonjun has never looked at him like that before. “Of c-course I’ll eat lunch with you guys. We agreed to meet up today,” Beomgyu stammered as he looked around to see Hyuka’s distressed face to Soobin’s worried frown and Taehyun’s knitted brows. He felt bare, vulnerable- _weak._

He hated feeling _ weak. _

“With the amount of time you spend with Hyunjin, you’d think he’s your boyfriend,” Yeonjun asserted; his stare remained frigid and calculating. 

“Guys let’s not fight-“ Huening Kai tried to mediate, but Beomgyu was not going to let that comment slide. 

Beomgyu knew that he was losing a grip on his emotions, but he threw all caution to the wind and demanded an explanation. “What? How can you even say that? Hyunjin likes someone else. How is this even relevant to me not wanting to have lunch with you?” His voice was rising, but he didn’t care, especially when accusations were being thrown at him. Even if they were from Yeonjun. 

His hyung leaped down the stage and paced towards Beomgyu, his steps were deliberate, as he exclaimed, “You’ve been flirting with Hyunjin so much that you don’t even care about your own well being.” His voice gained a barbed edge, “It’s always Hyunjin this and Hyunjin that.” 

“That's enough,” Soobin stood up to interject. They both ignored him.

From numerous experiences of dealing with uncontrollable anger, Beomgyu knew he should de-escalate the argument- he knew they were both getting heated- taking it too far. Instead, Beomgyu raised his hackles and adopted a scathing smile. “I don’t see what the problem is with me being friends with other people. He was just nice enough to help me get back into a passion I had before.” He had no idea why Yeonjun was attacking him, especially since all of his efforts were for him.

Maliciously, Yeonjun shouted, “I’m saying that someone’s been threatening you with letters and you’ve been too busy kissing Hyunjin to care about your own safety!”

Beomgyu barely registered Hyuka’s gasp. His ears were ringing- all he could hear was white noise, his entire being focused on the words that fell from Yeonjun’s lips. His fists tightened, his fingernails carving bloody crescents onto the beds of his palms, as he attempted to zone back in on his dispute with Yeonjun. 

Through gritted teeth, Beomgyu asked, “... how do you know about the letters?”

At Yeonjun’s silence, Beomgyu swivelled around to scrutinise the others with a narrowed gaze. The guilt rolled off them in waves, suffocating the innocence out of their bodies. 

Beomgyu couldn’t help but give a frenzied laugh. It bounced off the walls, as if the lurid shadows of the music room were laughing at him too. 

“You all knew?”

The continued silence was all the answer he needed. 

Beomgyu unfurled his hands, ignoring the blood that dripped onto the floor- blood that painted his fingernails red. He picked up his bag with ease and strolled towards the door; his body portraying a casual composure. On the inside, however, his muscles were coiled, itching for something to hit, to punch, to fight. 

“Where are you going?” Taehyun finally spoke for the first time. 

Looking over his shoulder, Beomgyu stared directly at Yeonjun and gave him a wide, saccharine smirk- all sharp teeth and edges. 

He said, “You’re right, I’d rather have lunch with Hyunjin.”

And strode out. 

——-

  
  



	9. The Reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sulking and Shitty apologies,,,

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow two updates in one week??? Unheard of
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone who commented last chapter and left a kudos I love you all so much. Also, bless my beta reader novaelixr you're the freaking best <3. 
> 
> This chapter is shorter because it was supposed to be part of Chapter 8 but I thought it was more appropriate to make this into Chapter 9. 
> 
> Stay safe everyone <3

Beomgyu was lying down. 

He examined his hands- his knuckles were kissed by bruises, peppered with nebulas of red and purple, like hickeys forming galaxies on the expanse of his arm. Between the gaps of his fingers, the flares of the sun, unapologetically angry, beat down on his listless body. An outpouring of indignation was the reason for the state of his hands._ Hit. Jab. Punch. _ Such actions were satisfying in the heat of the moment. His unfortunate victim took the burnt ends of his repressed anger- a wall. Scrapes along his fingers criss crossed the delicate skin, connected like constellations, all encompassed by a thick film of unwashable regret raging through his vengeance. 

Scars were physical embodiments of memories. 

_ He was ready to forget this one. _

It had been months since he lost control of his wild fury like this. He couldn’t remember much of what happened yesterday, other than: _ Hit. Jab. Punch. _Depleting the coiled rage stored in his muscles, he had dropped his hands to his side. Blood dripped-- warm and red. His breaths had puffed out in a frenzied madness. He remembered that he felt no pain- no ache or agony. Numbness had sunk into his bones and called his body home. He remembered a laugh being ripped out of his throat, as he collapsed behind an alley of his apartment building, after sneaking out at three in the morning.

He was scared of going back to this cycle, a cycle of self-destruction. But it welcomed him with open arms. He didn’t know how to handle anything _ close _to feeling weak- feeling open and vulnerable. For a second, Jeongin’s voice sprung to his mind, telling him to stop, telling him that it would be okay, that things would get better. But it was only the shadows that stayed, that lingered to watch his pathetic form slide down the wall in shame. 

He was now at school, but now as an empty shell of remorse and pity. Pity for the state he reduced himself to once again. Beomgyu had promised he would be better- better at making his friendships work. The spike of betrayal that had come from Yeonjun and his calculating glare, the confusion from his hyung’s anger toward him, and his friends’ choice to hide that they knew something that made him _ vulnerable. _

He vowed he would never feel vulnerable again. 

So, he lied down on the rooftop, the very same one where he first had lunch with all of his friends. He let the cool breeze ruffle his hair as he pretended that he could photosynthesize. Who cares about food, right? Not when he had no idea how to explain his reaction yesterday. He hasn’t eaten since breakfast yesterday. 

Beomgyu heard the latch of the door open. He quickly dropped his bruised hands to his side and pulled at the sleeves of his hoodie to hide the damage. Taehyun stood over him with a small smile that tugged at the corner of his lips. 

“I knew I’d find you here,” Taehyun said, as he cheerfully plopped himself right next to Beomgyu. He proceeded to unpack his lunchbox, ignoring the incredulous look on Beomgyu’s face. 

Taehyun unwrapped his sandwich and took a big bite that made his cheeks puffy, as Beomgyu asked, “Why are you here?” 

Being the little shit that he was, Taehyun deliberately took his sweet time to chew his food and stab a straw into his banana milk to take a sip before he answered Beomgyu’s question. 

“I’m here to tell you why both you and Yeonjun hyung are being so stupid, of course,” said Taehyun in between sips. “You seem like the type to sulk so I’m cutting your moping mood in half.”

Beomgyu could say he felt offended but he truly didn’t. For a reason he was yet to discover, Yeonjun got angry at him and he overreacted. A lot. Just look at the state of his hands. 

Taehyun took more bites of his lunch and offered Beomgyu the other slice, saying, “I know you haven’t been eating.” 

Careful to cover most of the damage, Beomgyu ensured only the tips of his fingertips were visible and accepted the food, taking small nibbles. Like a broken record, the events of the music room had replayed in his head all night- not allowing him to have a wink of sleep.

“Soobin hyung and Huening Kai were worried about you,” Taehyun said quietly. “Especially Hyuka, he was crying.” 

Ah. There it was. The perpetual stab of guilt that staked at his heart was jabbed in deeper, which made him feel shittier than he already did. Taehyun placed his hand on Beomgyu’s arm as a sign of comfort. Beomgyu was shaking. 

“I’m not here to make excuses for Yeonjun hyung. I’m here to apologise for not telling you that we knew about the letters. We didn’t quite know how to start that conversation,” Taehyun said softly, patting Beomgyu’s arm. “Yeonjun hyung blew up partly because he’s worried about you. And the other part- well that’s because he’s emotionally constipated.” 

Beomgyu couldn’t help but give a brittle laugh at that comment- yet even to his ears it sounded hollow, and empty. Still, he appreciated Taehyun’s efforts to try to cheer him up. 

“I just don’t understand why he would get mad at me, especially over something as simple as hanging out with Hyunjinnie…” Beomgyu trailed off as Taehyun stared at him with his eyes widening and his jaw dropping in shock. 

“You seriously have no idea why he got angry?!” Taehyun questioned him in disbelief. 

“No? I’ve been trying to figure it out since yesterday…”

Taehyun groaned in response and slapped his forehead in frustration. “Choi Beomgyu, Beomgyu hyung, Beomie- Yeonjun hyung got angry because he was jealous.” 

_ Jealous. _

This just confused Beomgyu even more. “Jealous of what, exactly?” He hesitantly asked. “There’s nothing to be jealous of.” 

“Oh Christ on a bicycle, you're both meant for each other.” Taehyun rubbed his forehead, clearly exasperated. 

Beomgyu continued to stare at Taehyun in utter bewilderment, not quite sure how to respond. 

Taehyun merely sighed saying “It’s not my place to say this. Yeonjun hyung should tell you. Start with the fact that you call him Jinnie, as a reason for his jealousy.” 

It answered none of his questions, but Beomgyu let it go. Taehyun took more bites of his sandwich before he revealed, “Yeonjun hyung is really bad at saying sorry. I mean, absolutely atrocious at it. Once he accidentally set my favourite book on fire after borrowing it, and instead of telling me the truth he told me his _ fire-breathing dog _ ate it. He doesn’t even _ have _ a dog. So, he got me another copy of the book and 20 cookies to say sorry.” 

He stared at Taehyun, who was nonchalantly recounting his story. “What I’m trying to tell you is that he’ll probably give you a gift as part of his apology- this was the emotional constipation I was talking about.” 

Beomgyu laughed at that as Taehyun grinned. 

They finished their lunch in amicable peace- simply enjoying each other’s company. Taehyun even invited him to go back to their classroom together. Upon seeing his hesitation, the younger grabbed his arm, saying that Beomgyu can no longer keep hiding from everyone. Beomgyu allowed himself to be dragged along, and ignored the twinges of pain on his arm. 

They reached their classroom 10 minutes before lunch ended, which meant it was still empty except for Kai’s lone figure sitting among the empty seats. The moment Hyuka saw him, his eyes lit up and he immediately got up from his chair to smother his hyung with affection. Beomgyu remained rooted to his spot as their maknae hugged him tightly. 

Huening Kai was valiantly trying to hold his tears back, but a few still escaped, leaving a trail down his red cheeks. “I’m sorry, hyung.” 

Beomgyu returned the embrace because he felt the guilt grip his heart even tighter. He did this. He caused this sadness. Rubbing circles on Kai’s back, Beomgyu whispered, “I'm sorry too.”

Taehyun joined in, turning it into a group hug and cheekily declared, “Yeah, we were pretty stupid.”

“At least we’re pretty.” Kai said merrily.

They all collapsed in a fit of giggles. 

Beomgyu thought, 

_ Yeah, we’re going to be alright. _

\----

Beomgyu doesn’t see Yeonjun or Soobin for the rest of the day. Not that he expected to see them, considering that the seniors had a separate floor for their classes. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t disappointed, though. Still, he carried on with his day and tried to focus on his classes and teachers. 

He cancelled dance practice with Hyunjin because he was exhausted beyond belief. Prioritising the spring showcase resulted in him neglecting his studies- among other important things, like his friendships. Instead, he decided to drown himself amidst books and papers in the library without any regard for the time, trying to catch up with all the work he decided to procrastinate on for the last week. 

As Beomgyu passed through the empty hallways of the school, he felt heavy weights drag his heart down, knowing that Yeonjun won’t walk him home today. His hyung had probably left already, seeing as Beomgyu stayed at school longer than he originally intended. Not that Beomgyu expected him to wait. Or wanted him to. Definitely not. It left him feeling awkward. Yeonjun had taken him home every single day since they all went to hang out for pizza. Now, he felt off, uncomfortable that they had that argument. It had only been a day but he missed the time they spent together after school- just to talk or walk next to each other, holding hands- anything else but the stifling silence he now had to endure. 

Sighing as he opened his locker for his jacket, he was startled to find a small box with a note inside. Remembering Taehyun’s words from lunch, he couldn’t help but smile at Yeonjun’s attempt at an apology. He quickly untied the red ribbon and found an earring. 

_ Wow. _

It was a fang earring, made out of a crystal- white and cold to the touch. Upon closer inspection he saw a tiny chinese character etched on the surface, but he did not know what it meant. Beomgyu had always seen Yeonjun wear something similar regularly and he melted a little at the thoughtfulness of the gift. Carefully removing the earring from the box, he put it on his left ear, ensuring it was properly secured. 

He opened the note next. 

** _Meet me in front of the dance building. _ **

Beomgyu hurriedly grabbed his jacket and shut his locker, hoping that Yeonjun was still there- hoping that he kept waiting for him. 

He passed through the school gym to get to the smaller dance studios trapped between the main school building and the 

The main entrance to the school’s dance studio was trapped between the main building and the school’s gymnasium. It was already dark and he really hoped that Yeonjun stayed. He felt his heart lighten when he saw a figure leaning against the wall, wearing a black cap. 

Yeonjun seemed to be unaware of Beomgyu and seeing the earphones plugged into his ears, Beomgyu was not surprised- his hyung liked to listen to rap music at deafening levels. 

Sneaking up on Yeonjun, Beomgyu lightly tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention. Yeonjun raised his head.

_ This was not him. _

“Hyunjin?”

He smiled, full and wide with fangs protruding from his jaws. Hyunjin’s hand shot up and enclosed around Beomgyu’s neck, restricting the air. Choking, Beomgyu grasped and scratched at Hyunjin, as he was lifted into the air, his legs kicking and dangling uselessly beneath him.

** _“Told you I couldn’t wait to have you all to myself, _ **

** _Sweetheart.” _ **

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please don't kill me


	10. The Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yeonjun arrives at the scene...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Special thanks to taebytae (sweetae), Sweetcookies, Dennyh, Angelees6782, betaelgeuse, Chompsters81 and Karton for commenting last chapter and everyone who left a kudos! Thank you so much to my amazing beta reader novaelixr. I love her so much pls she's the sweetest angel anyone could ask for.
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING!- There's a small section of non-consensual content but it never escalates. So please do not read this chapter if it troubles you. I have also changed the rating of the fic from teens and up to mature just because of the violence in this chapter and future chapters just in case. If it makes you uncomfortable please please please do not read it! I left a warning on the start of this fic too. 
> 
> I listened to this [song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NXRS5IQ7jI) whilst writing parts of this chapter so it might enhance the experience for you if you listen to it
> 
> Stay safe everyone<3

**Please read the author's notes before reading. **

**TRIGGER WARNING IN THE AUTHOR’S NOTE!**

**TRIGGER WARNING IN THE AUTHOR’S NOTE**

**TRIGGER WARNING IN THE AUTHOR’S NOTE**

**TRIGGER WARNING IN THE AUTHOR’S NOTE**

**TRIGGER WARNING IN THE AUTHOR’S NOTE**

**\---**

**“Told you I couldn’t wait to have you all to myself, Sweetheart.” **

Beomgyu clutched at Hyunjin’s hand grasping his throat, as he kicked his legs in a feeble attempt to retaliate. 

_ Oh god I can’t- I can’t breathe please breathe I can’t breathe I can’t- _

Hyunjin waved him around like a ragdoll, smirking as he said, “I was waiting for that annoying hyung of yours to give you some space, Jesus, he was all over you.” Hyunjin gave a maniacal laugh. “Too protective, too territorial, and too possessive. And for what? He hasn’t even claimed you yet.” 

Tears escaped his eyes against his will, and he choked at the pressure exerted upon him. White stars exploded in his vision and black spots danced in front of him. His legs lost the will to struggle and he felt his body fall limp. Through his blurred vision he can make out the black wings on Hyunjin’s back, glittering and menacing- the edges of the feathers looked sharp, like knives ready to slice him into little pieces. Beomgyu was beginning to lose his consciousness when he saw a glinting object fly past him, missing Hyunjin from being impaled by a hair's breadth. A dagger was lodged into the wall. 

“Let him go.” 

Even in his delirious state, Beomgyu could not mistake Yeonjun’s voice anywhere. A hope rose within him and he channelled the last dregs of his energy to scratch Hyunjin’s hand, still firmly squeezing his neck. 

_ I can’t lose now I can’t do this now I can’t I can’t I can’t- _

Hyunjin leered at Yeonjun over Beomgyu’s shoulder and exclaimed, “Yeonjunnie-hyung, nice of you to join the party. I should’ve known you’d place some sort of charm on him- how possessive.”

“I said let him go.” 

Beomgyu was unable to see Yeonjun but the absolute conviction in his voice fuelled the determination that bloomed at his chest. The tightening feeling in his chest was growing stronger and stronger- the fire in him was rising in waves. 

“My bad, where were my manners?” Hyunjin dropped Beomgyu, who fell in a heap on the floor. Clutching at his chest, Beomgyu heaved and groaned as he tried to breathe- too quickly- too fast- too erratic to calm the quivers of his heart.

Giving a ghastly laugh, Hyunjin declared, “Come any closer and I’ll rip his throat out.” Hyunjin repeatedly kicked him, surely fracturing his ribs. Curling up in a ball instinctively, he heard a shower of shouts but he did not understand a single word- his ears were ringing and everything was muted- silenced. All he knew was pain. The onslaught of attacks stopped. Hyunjin grabbed him by his hair and hauled him to his knees. He tried to steady his breathing- he had no time to panic, he would be absolutely useless like this. 

Forcing Beomgyu to look up, Hyunjin cloyingly whispered in his ear, “Look, your precious hyungie came here to watch me claim you.” Hyunjin flicked at the earring Beomgyu had completely forgotten about. He felt a zing of electric jolts travel up and down his body- sparks of voltaic tremors that locked his limbs in place. He can’t move. As if he was a prisoner in his own body, Beomgyu felt himself sucked into the deep alcoves of his mind, on his knees and pinned to the floor by an invisible force. 

“Pretty right?” Hyunjin asked Yeonjun. 

Beomgyu couldn’t move or speak; all he could do was watch Yeonjun clench his fists tighter on his weapons. He no longer owned his body. No, his body was a mere shell- with its owner confined in his own mind. There was destruction and blood in Yeonjun’s eyes- absolutely livid at the sight in front of him. _ What a sight it was. _Beomgyu was broken and bruised- at the mercy of an absolute madman. Yeonjun looked murderous- and Beomgyu was scared, terrified at what Hyunjin would do. 

“Get the fuck away from him before I kill you.” Yeonjun gritted out as he advanced towards Hyunjin and Beomgyu. 

Hyunjin simply laughed and tightened his hold on his victim’s hair and pulled, causing Beomgyu to let out an involuntary whimper of agony. Inside, he was fuming, pulling on the restraints that chained him to be Hyunjin’s puppet. Yeonjun steps faltered, as Hyunjin’s hand gripped at Beomgyu’s already damaged neck, ensuring Beomgyu looked at Yeonjun’s stricken face. “Threaten me all you want, but you have no power over him.” Hyunjin tugged on his ear harshly, which will surely add to the array of bruises he had already gained. “You know what this means don’t you, Yeonjunnie hyung?” 

“No, you didn’t, you can’t-” Yeonjun’s voice broke and took steps back. His hands went lax in defeat, nearly dropping one of his knives. Yeonjun stared right into Beomgyu’s eyes and in his mind, Beomgyu screamed, he thrashed around, he flailed against the shadows, but to no avail. But he won’t give up. Never, for Yeonjun. 

Hyunjin raised his hand and shot a bolt of lilac light at Yeonjun’s chest, forcing him to fall on his knees. 

_ Fuck no please no please no not hyung- not hyung please- _

Hyunjin pressed his lips against his victim’s exposed neck. Beomgyu felt his nauseating grin pepper kisses all over his jaw and cheek. He wanted to struggle and push him away but he couldn’t move a single limb. He was frozen, the same power was pushing on his body, preventing him from fighting back. Tears streamed down Yeonjun’s face and Beomgyu was powerless to do anything. He wanted to scream, to fight, to push back, anything was better than this. But his body was fixed in place. All he could do was struggle on the inside, fighting endless battles with the darkness. The fire in him was growing, from his chest the tendrils of heat licked along the walls of his veins, spreading through the rest of his body. 

“YEONJUN-HYUNG!” Beomgyu tried to shout with all his might but his lips remained stubbornly sealed, as he struggled to break free from his invisible bonds in the battle for control. 

His hyung, whilst frozen, was still able to speak. “You’re a fucking monster- he has no idea about our world! You knew he had no idea what he did when he accepted that fucking earring!” Beomgyu knew that his hyung’s words were laced with immeasurable horror- the panic in his voice was obvious with the way his voice trembled. His eyes were drowned with fear- with revulsion at the sight of Beomgyu’s captor. 

Hyunjin elongated his claws and pressed it close to Beomgyu’s neck, right at his pulse “No, no, no, Yeonjunnie. You have no right to protect him now.” Hyunjin fiingered the earring “You’re too late- he accepted the courting gift- he only answers to me.”

Hyunjin scratched lightly at Beomgyu’s cheek, drawing blood “You call me a monster, but I wonder what’s more monstrous? Me destroying my dear darling Beomgyu, or him destroying himself _ for you _?” He can feel the blood trickling down his cheeks, down his face, down his neck. 

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Yeonjun hissed. 

Hyunjin released his hold on Beomgyu’s hair and pulled his arms up. “Look at these hands. Beautiful, aren’t they? You should’ve seen him punching the wall yesterday. And then him crying after. All this pain, all because of your little fight with him, Yeonjunnie hyung.” 

In his head, Beomgyu stopped struggling, because it was true. It was his fault they fought, it was his fault he lost his temper, it was his fault they were in this situation now. If only he listened. If only. He never felt more hopeless in his entire life, watching from within his mental prison. He needed to break free. 

“You son of a bitch, how the fuck did you gain this much power, a single erote can’t put this much control on two people at once.” Yeonjun hissed. 

“There’s always someone lurking in the shadows, Yeonjunnie hyung. I’ve had a lot of help from people… people who want my darling Beomgyu more than I do. They've been generous enough to let me play with him for a little while… You know, just as a ‘well done’ for my services.” Hyunjin replied nonchalantly, as if he didn’t just reveal the mockery that was their friendship. Beomgyu was going to kill him. 

“Asshole. Why the fuck are you doing this?” Yeonjun demanded for answers. 

Hyunjin dipped his finger into the blood from Beomgyu’s face and licked it, enjoying the absolute control he has over the situation. “Simple. Revenge.” His claws were back, to tug on his hair harshly, his other hand forcing Beomgyu to look straight into his unforgiving black eyes- his unrelenting fury had swallowed his victim. He grinned as he spoke, his teeth stained by his victim’s blood. “Beomgyu hurt Jeongin, so I’ll hurt him back- no one walks away unscathed from hurting my pack member.” 

_ WHAT? WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU SAYING? JEONGIN WAS HURT? WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? _

A boisterous laugh bursts from Hyunjin’s lips. “Oh Yeonjunnie- you should hear our little sweetheart screaming on the inside.” His smile twisted into something more sinister. He slapped Beomgyu brutally and roughly seized his face once more “Don’t you dare act like you didn’t fucking know what you did, Choi Beomgyu. You’re the reason why Jeongin is as good as dead, you motherfucker.” 

Beomgyu stared into the dark recesses of his captor’s eyes, as if it’ll give him the answers he so desperately wants. He willed his lips to move but they merely twitched, unable to form a single sentence- a single word. Hyunjin took that as an invitation to capture Beomgyu’s lips. There was no hesitation or love in his action, it was all to defile him. He forced Beomgyu’s mouth open and brutally nipped and licked and explored with no mercy. The fire within him surged once more, like the embers of a dying flame resurging back to life. It started from the centre of his chest, spreading like vines along his frayed nerves. He felt hot- far too hot. Beomgyu felt the strain- his body stretched thin and the flames in him threatened to break free. Beomgyu had enough. He used all his might to raise his hand to push on Hyunjin’s chest. Feeble,weak and pathetic, he was merely able to try once before the force holding him down was back, rendering him useless. 

Hyunjin released Beomgyu’s lips and stood up, saying, “Delicious, Yeonjunnie hyung- you should try someti-” 

A succession of daggers flew towards Hyunjin’s heart with perfect accuracy. Hyunjin’s wings folded over his body like a shield and the knives bounced off harmlessly. Beomgyu watched, paralysed, as Hyunjin leapt into the air, his wings giving him the advantage. His claws were ready- ready to hurt Yeonjun. Yeonjun leapt out of the way in time- and punched Hyunjin right in the face. There was a flurry of lights as Yeonjun emerged with fox tails, and his own claws ready to flay the life out of Beomgyu’s captor. 

Recovering quickly, Hyunjin propelled himself in the air, as Yeonjun continued his assault with his daggers. Still unable to move, Beomgyu watched as one of the daggers wedged itself in between Hyunjin’s shoulder blades, causing him to release a sharp cry and descend to the floor. Yeonjun ran and punched him in quick succession, but Hyunjin flipped both of them over. They rolled on the floor, struggling for dominance. Hyunjin gained the upper hand and pinned Yeonjun on the floor, ready to kill him. 

Beomgyu had enough. 

He snapped. 

Shattering the shackles that held him down, an endless scream was ripped out of his throat. The fires within him erupted, every fibre of his was ignited by searing heat. His vision was consumed with an inferno that devoured his soul. All that crossed his mind was _ protect protect protect protect protect protect. _A blur of reds and clouds of pain overtook his entire being, his entire being trembled with uncontained rage. Flares ignited and cleansed everything that had imprisoned him. 

He fell to his knees once more, like a mockery of a prayer, and the last thing he saw was the gazing moon beating him down with its beams. 

He collapsed. 

\----

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time to run before you all come for me. I love you all so scream at me in the comments or on [twt](https://mobile.twitter.com/eyes_on_gyu)


	11. Fires and Faes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The answers to some of the questions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thank you for being patient with this update. HHHHH I'm not sure if I'm fully satisfied with this chapter but I wanted to update because I'm excited for what happens next. I might go and edit this a little more later. I know that last chapter was quite graphic in terms of violence but I just want to say that I will always put warnings at the beginning of every chapter that needs it. I have also upped the rating for this fic. Please be mindful of the warnings that I have given in the chapters. 
> 
> I'd like to thank taebytae (sweetae), Paltita, thearcherist, Dennyh, Chompsters81 and Sweetcookies for commenting last chapter <3
> 
> Massive thanks to my friend novaelixr for beta reading this chapter ilysm <3
> 
> We are now back to Yeonjun's pov!

Too many things happened at once. 

Yeonjun heard the scream burst from Beomgyu. Thrusted up in the air, Hyunjin flew away from Yeonjun and slammed against the wall, as ribbons of fire descended around them. Hailstones of broken glass exploded from the windows and crashed over them in waves. Rushing to his feet, he stumbled as he felt the ripples of the earth-shattering power that Beomgyu released. He wiped the blood that obscured one eye and looked up to marvel at the younger. 

Beomgyu’s eyes were ignited. They glowed like they were made of molten gold. Light seemed to be pouring out of his eyes, for how brightly they shined. Just like when Beomgyu had a nightmare, his skin was riddled with glimmering runes and incantations. Streams of fire surrounded him and wrapped around his body, like a coiled snake rearing to attack. Yeonjun swore he saw eyes in the flames as it grew higher and higher, forming a shape of a bird taking flight. Beomgyu stopped screaming and his scorching stare pinned Yeonjun down. Entranced, Yeonjun watched as the inferno vanished from existence and Beomgyu’s eyes dimmed as he fell on his knees, like a puppet with his strings cut. He collapsed. 

Ignoring the pain, Yeonjun rushed to reach the younger. He stumbled once or twice on the fragments of glass- he didn’t care, all he cared about was Beomgyu. His world was spinning at his feet and he dragged his soles to check on his angel- his baby- his entire universe. With blurry eyes from the tears that escaped, he reached Beomgyu and brushed the younger’s hair away from his face. He overlooked the scratches on Beomgyu’s face, the bruises on his neck. With no hesitation, he pressed two fingers at the younger’s neck- not caring in the slightest that Beomgyu’s skin was blisteringly hot. He needed to make sure that he was still alive, that he would wake up. He stopped breathing- until a slow pulse greeted his trembling fingers. Yeonjun felt Beomgyu’s heartbeat against his charred fingers; it was faint, it was weak, but it was  _ there. _ He choked down a sob- this was no time for emotions.

The doors to the dance studio slammed open. It was Hoseok-hyung, his teacher. Hoseok’s face was painted with shock, as he glanced over the entire scene. His disbelieving eyes flashed blue and asked too many questions but he said nothing to Yeonjun- too astounded at what he saw. 

“Hy-ung- help me.” Yeonjun’s voice cracked. 

This dispelled the dazed state his hyung was in and it jarred him to rush to Hyunjin’s unconscious body. Hoseok crouched towards Beomgyu and pressed his hand to the youngest’s forehead. He recoiled his hand immediately and looked at Yeonjun, his expression morphed from incredulity to brimming concern and uncertainty. 

“We need to get them to Taehyung.” Hoseok said as he stood up to check on Hyunjin. Yeonjun completely forgot about Hyunjin- he could go to hell for all the fucking pain he caused Beomgyu. All of the fucking letters, all of the fucking paranoia, all of the fucking agony- that bastard can go burn in the pits of hell for all Yeonjun cared. Hyunjin deserved it. How will he begin to explain the damage in the school’s buildings from Beomgyu’s magical outburst? It was all going to shit but Yeonjun just needed Beomgyu to be okay. 

Hoseok hyung’s wings sprung from his back and Yeonjun watched as he hoisted Hyunjin up into his arms. Unlike Hyunjin and Soobin’s feathered Erote wings, his wings as a Demon were leathery, the ridges of skeletal ligaments protruded from the stretched skin- prominent and powerful. The blackness of his wings pulled on the shadows as a shroud, effectively masking most of his presence. Yeonjun wouldn’t have known Hoseok was there if he had not seen him use his magic to hide himself. His hyung’s face emerged from the darkness, his eyes burned blue, like the hottest core of a flame and his horns peaked from his hair- barely visible from the dancing darkness that cloyed around him. 

“I would ask you to let Beomgyu go so I can carry him to Taehyung but I think I already know your answer.” Hoseok gave him a sunlit smile and for a second Yeonjun felt the pressure on his chest ease a little.

Yeonjun gave a watery smile and nodded, not quite finding the courage to speak.

“I’ll fly to Moonchild to alert Taehyung about the potions he needs- although I don’t think he needs the warning.” Hoseok hesitated before he said, “Listen to me, Yeonjun. I know you won’t need me to say this, but make sure Beomgyu gets safely to Taehyung as soon as you can. He- he needs to see Beomgyu. Never forget that someone is always hiding in the shadows.” 

With that ominous warning, Hoseok gave a small smile before he flew into the night. He was gone. 

A few more tears trailed down Yeonjun’s cheek as he slung Beomgyu’s limp figure over his back, ensuring that the younger’s arms were secured around his neck. The heat continued to emanate from Beomgyu- but it was less harsh. It was warmer, gentler, like the heat from a campfire when you were toasting marshmallows. Glass crunched beneath Yeonjun’s feet as he tried to stand up without moving Beomgyu too much. He swallowed his impending hysteria and focused; he needed to get Beomgyu to Taehyung-hyung.

Moonchild was quite far from school, but with no charms reducing Yeonjun’s magic, he could get there quickly. There was a ticking time bomb attached to Beomgyu’s life. He damn well was not going to let it go off. He left the scene behind him and accelerated towards the shadier part of town. He knew a shortcut that was only  _ slightly _ dangerous. All inhibitions for his own safety left his soul hours ago. All he cared about was  _ Beomgyu Beomgyu Beomgyu _ . He was going to get him to safety. Fast.

\---

When Yeonjun saw Moonchild as he turned on the last street corner, his knees nearly buckled from relief. He swallowed the fresh burst of emotions and sped up to a sprint. 

A shadow perched from the top of the building swooped down towards him and he nearly dropped Beomgyu in surprise. The shadows pulled away to reveal Hoseok’s face, his mouth was stretched to an uncomfortable grimace. His entire body was tensed, his wings twitching in agitation. 

“I’ll explain more inside but we need to hurry.” Hoseok said as his eyes shifted around their surroundings.

Yeonjun kicked the door open. The cafe tables that usually dotted the space were all upturned and pushed against one side. It was devoid of customers but it was the busiest Yeonjun has ever seen it. The strong scent of various herbs attacked all of his sensitive senses, making his eyes burn. He nearly choked at the floral scent that assaulted his nose. There was a faint cloud of smoke from the bubbling potion’s cauldrons and brewing pots on the barista counter. Taehyung was hacking away at herbs using a mortar and pestle whilst Huening Kai stirred his concoctions and Soobin chopped various flowers for him; Jungkook was on the floor, furiously scribbling runes on large pieces of paper with Taehyun copying his motions right by his side. They all paused momentarily when he entered, shouting in relief. Two beds occupied the space where there should be tables and happily chatting customers and Yeonjun immediately crossed the room to delicately place Beomgyu in the empty one, refusing to spare Hyunjin a glance. If he did, he might lose all of his control and do something irreversible. Like punch the life out of him.

“Thank the goddess you're here!” Taehyung exclaimed in relief. Hurrying over Beomgyu’s form on the bed, Taehyung snapped his fingers and Beomgyu’s shirt disappeared, leaving his chest bare. Yeonjun gasped at the galaxies of bruises that decorated his body, from the damage below his ribs to the smattering of blues and blacks at his chest and the hand print shapes left on his neck. There was a gash that was still bleeding at his cheek from Hyunjin’s goddamned claws. He stared particularly hard at the purples and reds on Beomgyu’s knuckles and wondered if Hyunjin was telling the truth. If Beomgyu really hurt himself over him. He doesn’t know what he’ll do with himself if that was true. Pushing his thoughts aside, he tried to focus on Beomgyu. He can’t ponder over what Hyunjin said- the erote’s words were like poison crawling around his mind, corrupting him. 

Taehyung rubbed his hands together to produce a ball of yellow light that hovered over Beomgyu’s heart- a simple diagnosis spell. The glowing energy travelled up and down Beomgyu’s body before it stopped at Beomgyu’s head. Taehyung muttered under his breath in frustration. Jungkook also stood up to examine the damage. With his eyebrows furrowing in concentration, Jungkook’s eyes widened when he saw the earring dangling from Beomgyu’s ear. He removed it and interrupted Taehyung’s soft rambling by showing it in front of Taehyung’s face. The rune master snatched it out of Jungkook’s hands, his face paling at what he saw. 

Knowing that Yeonjun would refuse to move away from the younger anytime soon, Taehyung shakily told Yeonjun to wash his hands on the sink by the barista’s counter so he can help disinfect Beomgyu’s cuts. After instructing Yeonjun how to apply a green paste made from freshly grounded herbs, Taehyung rushed to his potions to orchestrate Hyuka and Soobin on how to stir the brewing concoctions. Yeonjun pulled a chair from the corner of the room to sit right by Beomgyu’s side and delicately brushed the herbs over his cheek, down to his neck, to the dip of his collarbones. His fingers trembled as he swept them along the abused skin. He wanted to kill Hwang Hyunjin. 

“Taehyun, help me put up the ones you and Jungkook have written,” Yeonjun heard Hoseok command as he closed the door to the cafe entrance behind him and locked it. “We need to put them up as fast as possible.”

Taehyun nodded and gathered scrolls upon scrolls of runic paper. As a Kitsune, Yeonjun didn’t have to learn runes like Guardians or Erotes and the other magical beings, because his magic was more internal and infused in his body- but even he knew that having that many runes was a sign of trouble. He spun around to examine the scene- from Taehyung and Jungkook’s frantic, hushed argument, to Soobin and Hyuka’s exchange of worried glances to Taehyun and Hoseok plastering runes to every wall- something was very very  _ wrong.  _

“What’s happening?” Yeonjun asked- fearing for the worst. 

They paused. All of them looked at each other, communicating in the tense silence that cloaked them. 

Yeonjun’s voice ripped through the silence ”Can somebody tell me what the fuck is going on? Is Beomgyu going to wake up?”

Taehyung waved his hand and the ball of energy disappeared. “Beomgyu will wake up. But there’s nothing more we can do right now.” He continued, “From what I can tell, someone locked up his magic within his core for a very long time. Whoever did it took a huge risk in caging that much raw power. It could’ve caused permanent damage to his soul. He’s in a coma of sorts- his body is in statis from the violent outpouring of magic coursing through him right now.” Taehyung gave Yeonjun a smile that was meant to be reassuring but it did nothing to calm the rapid beating of Yeonjun’s heart. “Beomgyu’s body is not used to the magic so he needs to acclimatize. Forcing him to wake up with a spell will do more harm than good.” 

With each word, Yeonjun’s heart sank more and more to his feet. 

“There’s only one reason I can think of that allowed him to survive the impossible.” Taehyung looked at him directly in the eyes.

“He’s half Mage and half Human Yeonjun. Not one or the other, but both.” 

_ Half Mage. Half Human. _

Yeonjun sputtered and jumped to his feet, “That’s not possible- everyone knows there can only be three mages existing at any point in time and it's you, Tae-hyung, Kim Seokjin and-”

“It’s not supposed to be possible but that’s the only explanation that makes sense, no matter how illogical it seems.” Taehyung looked at him with those bright amber eyes of his, eyes that looked too much like Beomgyu’s. Yeonjun avoided his eyes and pinned the others with his silent questions but no one spoke to refute them. 

“That large of a magical outburst cannot be missed. Beomgyu’s an outlier, an anomaly- a weapon.” Taehyung sighed. “People will hunt him down simply because he exists. His entire existence messed with the balance of magic and nature.”

_ Outlier. Anomaly. Weapon.  _

Using his magic, Jungkook drew a glowing green panther’s head using his finger. Its jaw was open, its maws reared for an attack as it floated in the air. He said, “Someone already tried to control Beomgyu’s power through Hyunjin. Hyunjin had this symbol engraved on his back.”

They all gasped. A magical being’s body was sacred. Defiling a child of magic with a permanent mark was sacrilegious. It was a robbery, it was being owned by another entity, your magic, your very being stolen from your soul. Yeonjun felt a rush of regret flood him- he felt sorry for Hyunjin. That was something you can’t go back on. 

Hoseok nodded along and finally spoke. “We don’t think Hyunjin fully knew what he was doing. The violation of his body means he wasn’t in control of his body and actions. There might be a way to sever that connection.” 

Taehyung stirred a potion as he said, “Yes, my brother could help. I knew he spent a lot of time experimenting with mental magic. And from what I can tell with Beomgyu’s condition… we definitely need to see him as soon as possible.”

Jungkook asked, “How are you going to contact him? You haven’t seen your brother in years.” 

Taehyung gave his boyfriend a consoling smile. “Jimin told me where he was. He’s taken sanctuary in Arcadia.”

“The Faerie realm?” Taehyun questioned. 

Soobin inquired, “But I thought the Faerie realm is closed off? The royal family has kept the borders to their kingdom up for hundreds of years. They don’t let any outsiders enter and they keep to themselves. Unlike the other magical beings that integrated with the humans.” 

Waving his hand to transfer the freshly brewed potions to the flasks on the counter, Taehyung said, “The prince and I were childhood friends. I contacted Prince Jimin as soon as I felt the magical outburst and closed the cafe down. He’s kindly providing us protection. That, and apparently he missed me and is very angry that I haven’t called him sooner.” 

Taehyung started to pack the potions and salves into a cafe tray to be taken upstairs. “Once Jungkook finishes putting the protective wards in the cafe, we’ll take Hyunjin and Beomgyu to my brother. That’s why we’ve been brewing as many potions as we can. We don’t know when we’ll be coming back. We need to go as soon as possible, after Hoseok takes you home.”

“I’m coming with you!”

“You’re not leaving us behind!”

“What?!”

“We need to go too!’

A chorus of shouts of indignation came from the Yeonjun and his friends. He gazed down at Beomgyu’s sleeping form and clenched his fists. He can’t leave him. He needed to stay with Choi Beomgyu. Especially now that he knew there was a threat to his life. As much as he wanted to punch Hyunjin in the face, there was a bigger enemy. He can’t keep Beomgyu safe if he was in an isolated kingdom. He needed to think.  _ Fast.  _

Yeonjun gritted his teeth and said “Listen, we’re Beomgyu’s friends and we need to stick with him. Don’t you think it would be safer if we also go to Arcadia? 

Huening Kai piped in “And it’s not like we can go to school. Hyung, you said so yourself that the magical outburst was too large to be unnoticable. Hoseok-hyung told us that Beomgyu blew out all of the windows, doors and mirrors in the nearby buildings.”

Soobin heatedly stated, “Exactly! We’re not even sure about the damage in the other parts of school. This means the school won’t be open for a while, with the teachers trying to come up with an explanation for the destruction without saying it was magic.” 

“It’s not like our parents will miss us. Yeonjun-hyung’s parents are pack delegates so they’re always travelling and Yeonjun takes care of Hyuka. Soobin’s parents are in America for business and mine won’t get back from Japan for another 4 months,” Taehyun chimed in. 

Soobin, Hyuka and Yeonjun nodded along. From the silence that greeted them from the three adults, they knew that they won. 

Taehyung sighed, “Fine. You kids will give me grey hair, I swear. Hyuka, Soobin, go take the potions and cauldrons upstairs. Taehyun, you can help Jungkook raise the wards. Yeonjun and Hoseok, carry Beomgyu and Hyunjin. We need to go. Now.”

They all scrambled into action. Jungkook and Taehyun clasped hands and began to chant in a foreign language. As soon as they started, the walls of Moonchild began to quiver and shake and it was encased in a green barrier that fortified its foundations. With utmost care, Yeonjun picked up Beomgyu and carried him up the narrow stairs to where Taehyung usually spent his time doing magic. He took comfort in the fact that his enhanced senses can pick up Beomgyu’s pulse. He needed the constant assurance that the younger was  _ alive. _

The usual clutter of books, sun dials and crystals scattered around the study was gone; everything had been swept away and the room was almost bare- even the mahogany desk had disappeared and the books crammed into the walls had left their peaceful asylum.  The windows that stretched on the front and the left wall of the room dappled them in moonlight and shone on the large mirror at the centre of the room. Stepping in front of the mirror, Taehyung used his finger to draw geometric shapes that resembled a butterfly on the mirror’s surface-  _ Yeonjun really needed to study runes-  _ and a dazzling pink shimmer set the surface to a blinding glow. The glass rippled like water. 

“Enter through the looking glass, Jimin should be waiting for you on the other side. Taehyun and Jungkook should be finished now. I’ll go last, to seal the gateway,” Taehyung instructed.

With a nod, Yeonjun walked through the mirror with Beomgyu protectively clutched to his chest, followed closely by Soobin, Huening Kai and Hoseok carrying Hyunjin. Stepping through the glass was a strange sensation; it was like the barest brush of a summer breeze on his skin but it had the consistency of thick honey. Emerging from the other side, Yeonjun felt his eyes widen- they were now in a forest. Thick trees loomed over them with their branches swaying to the wind’s harmonious tune. Stems of light filtered through the branches, dappling them with the warm spring sun. He turned around to see Soobin and Huening Kai’s twin expressions of wonder and fascination. Lastly, the remaining 3 came out of the glass. 

Yeonjun looked forward to see that two figures had appeared in front of their party. There was an impossibly beautiful man with purple hair, wearing a white hanbok embroidered with exquisite flowers that Yeonjun had never seen before. His statuesque frame was highlighted by his clothing. Atop his head was a crown made of lilies that made him look otherworldly. 

Standing next to him was an equally stunning man with pastel pink hair, wearing similar clothes to the other, his fair skin making him look like a doll. He was shorter, but he was also wearing a crown; it was made out of twisted silver with crystals that shifted between colours depending on how the light kissed it. His plump lips were stretched into a wide smile as he saw Taehyung emerge from the glass and he ran to tackle the mage. Taehyung gave a startled laugh. 

The man with the lilies in his hair cracked a grin. “It’s good to see you again, brother.”

Taehyung giggled. “I missed you too, Jin-hyung.”

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you're all healthy and safe at home <3 Please tell me what you think about this chapter- I would love to hear your thoughts <3
> 
> Thank you all so much for 200 kudos wtf TT-TT you're all the best 
> 
> Have a great day <3<3
> 
> [twt](https://mobile.twitter.com/eyes_on_gyu)


	12. Arcadia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Intro to Arcadia and Yeonjun's thoughts...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Sorry for taking so long with another update :( life has not been the best recently. I hope you enjoy this chapter <3

Yeonjun should have noticed the glass. 

A castle made out of clear crystal emerged from the canopy of trees the further Yeonjun and his friends walked through the forest. Twisting towers built with shards of glass pierced the endless blue skies and the gigantic turrets positioned around the main building were encircled by huge bald eagles, with fae riders clearly positioned on their backs. The high walls of the palace seemed see through from where Yeonjun was standing; it allowed the sun’s rays to bathe the entirety of the vast structure with its cheerful glow. Yeonjun was blinded by the kaleidoscope of colours projected by the luminous palace but the adults in their party seemed unfazed. His heightened ears twitched at the sounds of rushing water as he revelled in the forest’s scent- a calming draught to his senses that were so used to the cityscapes. 

He kept his eye on Beomgyu. The moment Seokjin saw Hoseok and Yeonjun carrying Beomgyu and Hyunjin, he transformed branches and leaves into medical beds with a snap of his fingers. Both the unconscious boys floated serenely next to them with Seokjin’s magic guiding them to stay right next to their party as they walked. 

He huddled closer with his friends as they traversed through unknown territory. Soobin’s hand rested on Yeonjun’s shoulder and provided the support he needed. He turned and saw Taehyun holding Hyuka’s hand that wasn’t holding the potions bag and Yeonjun gave them a smile that hopefully conveyed the message that they were going to be_ okay. _

Yeojun turned back to face the front and concentrated on following Prince Jimin fluttering ahead of them, his pink, rose-tinged wings flittering next to Kim Seokjin, who was in deep conversation with his _ brother _Taehyung. 

It never clicked to Yeonjun that the two would be related. It was a well known fact in the magical community that both mages were _ different _compared to those who came before them. Mages were supposed to have a central role with how the magical community functioned; they had a duty they must perform; their capacity to wield such massive amounts of power surely could sway over any being alive- magical or not. However, Seokjin went missing from the High Council years ago and Taehyung simply rejected the responsibility that came with being a Mage. Although, no one knew exactly what duty Mages were required to complete. From the little information that was available to Yeonjun, Taehyung was too invested in the scholarly route that he had no time for whatever Mage duties he would be assigned, as he also managed Moonchild Cafe. It was a little difficult to imagine Taehyung as a being with the ability to draw power from his fingertips when Yeonjun has witnessed the man balance five muffins on his forehead whilst juggling oranges. 

Jin, however, was a mystery. Yeonjun can see the hidden power infused in his very being. From the confident way he held himself, to how easily he could summon and control his magic. The mage literally breathed and lived magic. It amazed Yeonjun and gave him hope- if someone can help Beomgyu, it was this man. 

“We’re nearly there!” Jimin’s melodious voice reassured them and, sure enough, the trees thinned out until they reached a clearing leading up to the castle’s main gate. The prince told them that they had to open the portal to the faerie realm far away from the kingdom's borders for their safety- appearing so close to the kingdom could end with them getting killed. Faes, like most magical beings, were territorial. 

They reached the end of the clearing only to end up at the precipice of a chasm. The steep drop led to a coiled river curled protectively around the entrance of the kingdom and Yeonjun knew a fall down to the water would be fatal. 

A single fae was leaning casually by the raised drawbridge, his fierce stare watching their every move. His mint green hair matched his near translucent wings, and the sword visibly strapped to a scabbard by his waist glinted menacingly at Yeonjun. He held a long silver spear in his hands and his gaze was fixated on every movement Yeonjun and his friends made. Prince Jimin had no qualms with crossing the natural barrier, as he simply flew over the steep drop and made it into the other side in no time. Soobin and Hoseok could’ve done the same, but they stayed behind. The rest will cross together. 

Amused, Prince Jimin placed a feather light kiss at the scowling faerie’s nose. The harsh expression morphed into a gentle look filled with love. The change was so sudden that the adults snickered to themselves. 

“I see Yoongi hyung hasn’t changed.” Taehyung smiled. 

“Yes, still hopelessly in love with his precious prince.” Seokjin nodded. “Fiercely protective too- even though Jimin can handle himself perfectly in battle. But being the General of the largest Faerie kingdom does make him more on edge.”

Jungkook grinned at Yeonjun and his friends. “Awww, Yoongi-hyung is a softie. Don’t let him fool you kids.” 

After the exchange of a few words that Yeonjun couldn’t hear, even with his advanced senses, the General and his Prince flew away from the castle entrance and the drawbridge was lowered. It was a stable wooden structure of impeccable wood with engravings of flowers and leaves drawn on it. It was an ancient foreign language Yeonjun would never be able to decipher. As the Party crossed the ravine easily, Yeonjun avoided looking at the abyss and moved closer to his friends. God, he hated heights. 

They entered the kingdom walls and the gate behind them was shut abruptly. 

Prince Jimin beamed, “Welcome to Arcadia.”

\---

The group separated. With Yoongi leading Hoseok and Jungkook towards the armoury and the Mages heading towards the medbay as soon as they stepped foot into the palace walls, the younger ones were left alone with Prince Jimin. Yeonjun was about to argue about following the Mages as Prince Jimin placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. 

“It will be good to give them some time to discuss some things,” said Jimin as they watched Seokjin and Taehyung stride away from them with Beomgyu and Hyunjin’s floating figures in tow. “I’m sure they’ll tell us more later. I can tell you care a lot about your injured friends, but fretting over him might not help as much as you think it would.”

Yeonjun opened his mouth to protest and the prince shushed him with a delicate finger. “What all of you need now is sleep and a small tour. Arcadia is a few hours ahead of Seoul, which means all of you would have been up all night. Come, I’ll show you your rooms.”

Flying ahead, Jimin led them through a maze of rooms and corridors. He was comforted to know that only the exterior of the castle was actually made of clear quartz. Inside, the crystal walls were swirling with milky murkiness- he was relieved as he wasn’t sure how it would feel if all the walls were clear- the lack of privacy was not ideal.Yeonjun learnt that woodland faes are strengthened by the sun, which the reason the palace was built in this manner. The interior itself was made of gleaming white marble. Yeonjun looked up in amazement at the castle. The palace looked even better inside, with its high arches and tall winding staircases and glittering crystal surface. Judging by the wide eyed expressions mirrored by his friends, he wasn’t the only one impressed. They passed various faes that worked in the palace- all of them bowed to the Prince, as a sign of respect. Their willowy figures wore light ruffled clothes for ease of movement. Yeonjun was fascinated by the assorted colours of their pastel wings and the way they fluttered around. He had seen Soobin fly numerous times, but the faes held a whimsical aura around them that fascinated him.Their short tour ended when the prince dropped them off at the residential areas in one of the towers.

“If you need anything just call for one of the servants and they’ll assist you. There’s some clothes for you to change into and bathrooms in the rooms, of course. Try to get some rest and I’ll see you all in a few hours.” And with that the prince drifted down the tower serenely. The four boys looked at each other in uncertainty. 

Soobin sighed, “You heard what the prince said, off to your rooms and let’s get some rest.”

Kai put on his puppy eyes and said, “Can I stay with you hyung? I don’t want to sleep alone.” 

Taehyun and Yeonjun shared a secret smile- albeit it was more muted- as they watched Soobin’s resolve visibly break down. At least no matter how strange their situation is, they can always count on Soobin being a hopeless, lovesick mess for their Kai. 

“Can I join too, hyung?” Taehyun asked in a rare moment of vulnerability. Yeonjun had always seen Taehyun as a pillar of strength and maturity, so often that he forgot Taehyun was only a child. Hell, Taehyun was younger than him by two years. 

Soobin gave the maknaes a smothering bear hug in agreement. Yeonjun smiled softly, Soobin could be such a mother hen. The past few hours were stressful on all of them. They needed time to process it all and whilst Yeonjun would love to spend some time with his friends, he knew that it was better for him to have some time alone. He had too many thoughts, too many emotions, too many regrets to sift through- he needed the space to collect himself. Dropping a kiss on the foreheads of giggling Hyuka, a squirming Taehyun and a hostile Soobin (he nearly punched him), Yeonjun gave each of them a hug of his own before he slipped into his own room to begin his mope fest. 

The room was simple yet it exuded opulence. It was plain, with a bed, a wooden table, a wardrobe, and a window that overlooked the castle grounds. Yeonjun peered through to see the faerie guards patrolling and a handful of the servants passing by. 

The bathroom had the same crystal motif as his room with wooden accents and Yeonjun was excited when he saw the bathtub. Eager to get out of his blood encrusted clothes, he quickly stripped them off so he could relax in the steaming pink water that smelt of fresh roses. As he sunk into the water, he winced at the heat against his wounds. He didn’t suffer injuries that were severe enough that he needed medical attention; with his enhanced healing, the wounds would be gone in a day or two. Still, he preferred the intense heat- it overwhelmed his senses enough that he was able to free his mind and think clearly. Closing his eyes, he submerged himself until only his eyes and nose peaked above the water. Without the adrenaline pumping through his veins, his muscles that had protested for every move he made was finally able to relax. The water loosened the tension on the coils of stress in his muscles and his mind eased, now that it was not focused on keeping Beomgyu safe- except, he didn’t succeed much in _ that _particular goal. 

Their fight two days ago was entirely Yeonjun’s fault. _ Stupid _ . How could he let his jealousy control him? He couldn’t help it. With the increased amount of time that Hyunjin spent with Beomgyu practicing for the showcase, the more of Hyunjin’s cloying scent that latched itself onto Beomgyu. Hyunjin’s lavender fragrance mixed with Beomgyu’s own sweet caramel and apple scent caused his instincts to go into overdrive. Every time he saw Hyunjin’s handsome face hovering a little _ too close _ he wanted to storm over and rip his damn body off _ his _ Beomgyu and maybe throw him at a wall. More often than he’d like to admit, Yeonjun found himself resisting the urge to drape and cuddle Beomgyu at every opportunity to remove that damn sickening floral scent off him. It was even worse when Beomgyu cancelled their study dates sessions to go practice with Hyunjin instead. Yeonjun looked forward to spending more alone time with the younger, especially now that he saw him less and less with his own practices and projects piling up as a senior. The only thing that kept him from losing to his own jealousy was that he was able to take Beomgyu home every night. Safe and secure, Yeonjun knew that the mysterious letter sender couldn't harm Gyu when he was around. _ Stupid _. It was stupid of him to let his guard down. 

Hyunjin was perfectly aware of their customs as magicals and that little shit was preparing the first stages of the courting process; Hyunjin’s actions were a direct challenge to Yeonjun. Whilst Yeonjun himself has not started to court Beomgyu, because he was _ a decent person who was willing to wait, _ his hackles were raised by the unspoken confrontation Hyunjin proposed. Beomgyu was not an object to be owned or a trophy to be won, so Yeonjun ignored Hyunjin as a threat, no matter how much his intuition told him to fight back. He knew that the Erote was no competition anyway. That was what he thought- until he saw Beomgyu wearing Hyunjin’s hoodie, with the piece of shit’s surname embozzled on the back like a gaudy symbol that taunted him; it said _ “Beomgyu’s mine.” _

He remembered how his hands shook in anger and how the hairs at the back of his neck prickled as he barely repressed the urge to rip the damn jacket off Beomgyu’s frame. To try and calm himself down, he hugged Beomgyu instead knowing that the younger’s presence alone was a balm to his abrasive soul. Beomgyu kept him grounded. Hearing Beomgyu complement Hyunjin’s scent, however, hammered a nail in the coffin enclosing his heart. Helpless, all he could do at that moment was to clutch Beomgyu tighter, as if the closer he held him the more he could assure himself that Beomgyu won’t leave him. 

One of the nights, Beomgyu was later than usual to meet him in the music room so he decided to pick him up instead. He couldn’t even begin to unravel the absolute rage that pumped through his veins like poison when he saw Hyunjin pinning Beomgyu down. Yeonjun barged in on them, looking like they’ve just finished kissing and dear god, never in his life did Yeonjun need to exercise as much control then as he did in that moment. His fangs elongated and pierced his lips, his fingers trembled in restraint from punching the smirk off Hyunjin’s face and he knew, he just knew that this was what the erote wanted from him. The little piece of shit wanted him to lose control. Yeonjun won’t ever give him that satisfaction. After making Beomgyu promise to message him when the younger safely got home, he stiffly left school and made his way to Taehyun’s house. 

Beomgyu never messaged him back. He pretended it didn’t hurt. 

After he dropped off a sleepy Beomgyu at his house most nights, he alternated with trekking to Taehyun’s house to do training and dropping by Moonchild to catch up with his friends. Soobin often complained about his irritable mood when he managed to stop by at Moonchild after taking Beomgyu home. Kai, Taehyun, Sobbin- they all said the same thing: confess your feelings for Gyu. It wasn’t as easy as they make it out to be. How can Yeonjun tell Beomgyu how he truly feels when he has been keeping secrets from him all this time? Yeonjun lived in the shadows hiding his secret identity, his feelings and the fact that he knew about the letters that threatened Beomgyu. He didn’t want Beomgyu to be angry; he wanted Beomgyu to trust him, to open up to them more. But Yeonjun was a coward. All he did was seethe silently as he watched Hyunjin express his, less than platonic, affections for Beomgyu. 

That night, Yeonjun went to Taehyun’s house with the intent to beat up as many training dummies his body permitted him to. He channelled his frustrations by beating punching bags, throwing knives at targets and occasionally running on the treadmill until he felt his lungs burn from exertion. Perks of being friends with a Guardian- he was able to have a private gym and he learned more about weapons training. Taehyun taught him how to improve his aim and they often fought with hand to hand combat to have some fun. It was something both of them were equally good at and it felt good too. Sometimes, nothing will make you feel better than punching the shit out of things. It was pleasing for Yeonjun to be able to express his anger, even if beating punching bags till they break wasn’t exactly healthy.

No matter how much Beomgyu tried to hide the looming threats of the letters, Yeonjun knew it bothered Gyu immensely. Before the identity of the letter sender was revealed to be Hyunjin, Yeonjun was not sure how to approach Beomgyu about his not-so-secret issue. He didn’t want to freak Beomgyu out, or make him feel like he was coddling him. So he trained at night till his body burned and his joints ached- all to ensure that he could help Beomgyu in the future. No mercy was the only treatment Beomgyu’s stalker deserved. He simply imagined that he was throwing knives straight to the culprit’s face. No matter how much of an ass he appeared to be, Yeonjun never thought that Hyunjin was capable of something so atrocious. Considering he did impale the him in the shoulder, he felt sorry for him- not enough to regret throwing that knife at him though. Possessed or not, Hyunjin still hurt Beomgyu. Yeonjun doesn’t know if he can forgive him for that. It wasn’t up to him of course- only Beomgyu had the right to forgive him- so the little shit better get on his knees and apologise once they both regain consciousness. Yeonjun wouldn’t accept anything less. 

Fury. Jealousy. Scorn. Yeonjun had allowed these emotions to command him the day of his fight with Beomgyu. All of his insecurities caught up to him and he was scared that he was losing him. The less time and attention he received the more agitated and irritable he became and the more his friends thought he was being dumb. They don’t understand. He cared about Beomgyu more than anything else in life and he didn’t want to be selfish. Maybe Beomgyu liked Hyunjin more? Maybe Beomgyu wanted to hang out with Hyunjin and Yeonjun was just a nuisance that clings to him? Right. He was just a bother. Festering in his mind, these thoughts buzzed around his head like a fly he couldn’t swat away. It chased the rationality out of him. 

He couldn’t stop the words from coming out of his mouth.

_ Are you sure you wouldn’t rather have lunch with Hyunjin? _

_ With the amount of time you spend with Hyunjin, you’d think he’s your boyfriend. _

_ It’s always Hyunjin this and Hyunjin that. _

It replayed in his head like a broken record. At that moment, he knew that he was being out of line. He should’ve felt ecstatic that for the first time in weeks, all of his friends were having lunch in the safe haven they’ve made for themselves: the music room. But all Yeonjun could think about was how Beomgyu was late _ again, _and how much the younger would obviously like to have more free time with Hyunjin instead. Jealousy steered his heart and body.

_ I’m saying that someone’s been threatening you with letters and you’ve been too busy kissing Hyunjin to care about your own safety! _

Childish. Immature. Foolish. 

Beomgyu’s eyes stared right back at him- cold and hard like freshly cut diamonds, sharp and glittering- ready for a fight. The harsh way his normally soft eyes narrowed at all of them stabbed at Yeonjun’s heart. Brimming with distrust, the younger’s words dripped in outrage, his accusatory tone painful and piercing. Yeonjun kept his mouth shut, his lips pressed into a hard line. He watched Beomgyu walk away, frustration thrumming in his veins. He should’ve apologised immediately or ran after him or called out the younger’s name or anything- _ anything _would’ve made a difference. But like how Yeonjun always dealt with his emotions, he ran away like the coward he was. He stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him and skipped school for the rest of the day. 

Regret. Guilt. Shame. 

It flooded him in waves as he walked around Seoul aimlessly, his shoes scuffling on the pavement- he had no direction, no idea where to go, no command over where he went. As if perpetual clouds loomed over him, his thoughts were scrambled and fleeting. It was getting dark when he stopped and he spotted a familiar street tucked into one of the alleyways he passed by. It was the rustic jewellery shop that Beomgyu noticed when the younger skipped school with Yeonjun weeks ago. Yeonjun spotted the necklace that entranced Beomgyu. It was a simple design, pretty yet plain. With its intertwined swirls of blue and purple drawing his attention, Yeonjun could feel some sort of charm attached to it. The lovely Guardian owner of the shop informed him cheerfully that the pendant would only glow if the wearer’s loved one was in danger. He purchased the nifty necklace immediately with the intent to give it to Beomgyu and finally explain why he was a stupid asshole who blew up due to his jealousy. If Yeonjun wasn’t a dumbass, he could’ve planned the confession after the showcase. It would have been perfect. 

He knew what to do.

Tomorrow, he was going to skip school to prepare his confession. A solid plan was all he needed. It was Beomgyu after all, he only deserved the best. Maybe he could write him a song? Or choreograph a dance for him? Mind buzzing with ideas about how to make it _ perfect, _he couldn’t help but feel the bubbles of anxiety crawling beneath his skin. He was going to stop being a coward, he was going to confess his feelings and he was going to face the aftermath. All at the risk of losing the person he cared about the most. 

An apology was the right place to start. On good days, he can string words together without revealing too much about his blaring crush. On bad days like today however- it never ended well. He might need more than a day to find the words that expressed his feelings- fear, frustration, longing, _ love. _

He was never good with emotions. 

But, Yeonjun never managed to tell Beomgyu anything, because the amulet he planned to give Beomgyu glowed brightly in his palm, and he _ bolted. _He ran and ran and ran until he reached the school, where Beomgyu was being choked by Hyunjin.

Then came the physical pain. He barely focused on that part, determined to find out why Hyunjin was doing this in the first place. But then, Hyunjin said the words that shattered him, like the glass that crunched beneath their feet. 

_ “You call me a monster, but I wonder what’s more monstrous? Me destroying my dear darling Beomgyu, or him destroying himself for you?” _

Yeonjun stared at Beomgyu’s face, there was blood dripping down his cheeks, down his face, down his neck. The younger’s were blank- _ empty. _It was his fucking fault. 

_ “Look at these hands. Beautiful, aren’t they? You should’ve seen him punching the wall yesterday. And then him crying after. All this pain, all because of your little fight with him, Yeonjunnie hyung.” _

\---

Yeonjun submerged his head in the now lukewarm water and only rose when he felt himself on the brink of passing out. He took lungfuls of oxygen and heaved. Dizzy, he watched the ripples in the water, his head was filled with static. 

That was better- better than Hyunjin’s words echoing in his head, better than Beomgyu’s blank look haunting him. For the past few months that Yeonjun had known Beomgyu, he had never envisioned him looking so _ lifeless. _He has not seen that expression on the younger's face since the first time they made eye contact on Beomgyu's first day of school. That was a long time ago. Beomgyu had looked bored, annoyed, sad, happy but not once did he look _ empty. _

Yeonjun’s fingers gripped the crystal necklace around his neck. He never had the chance to explain himself. He never had the chance to confess. He never had the chance to protect Beomgyu. 

_ Failure. _The word curled around him and refused to let go. 

The water was cold. 

He sighed and stood up from the bathtub. Drying himself off, he couldn’t help but feel the lingering guilt that stuck to him like a second skin. He ignored it, too exhausted to even think. 

Randomly picking clothes from the wardrobe, he collapsed faced down on the bed; he didn’t even bother to pull the blanket over him. 

Finally, he gave in the urge to rest and he snuggled into his pillow. 

Yeonjun welcomed the darkness. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hihihihihihihihihi sorry for taking so long. I have an exam coming up in two weeks and its making me very anxious. This chapter was also supposed to be longer and I was meant to explain a lot of stuff but then the chapter would be 10k words long and I wouldn't be able to update for a few more weeks so I decided to cut it in half. Honestly, I am not sure if I'm fully satisfied with this chapter. Still, I hope you all liked it! This explains how Yeonjun knew that Gyu was in trouble. Poor Beomgyu :( I won't say things will get better soon because it might not for a while LMAO don't kill me. 
> 
> The new txt album was AMAZING I couldn't stop putting it on repeat dkfjkdfjkds the way I screamed when the MV dropped flfkflggk. I don't even know what my favourite song is from this album- every song is too good. 
> 
> Thank you all to everyone who clicked and gave me a kudos <3 Speacial thanks to Paltita, Sweetcookies, betaelgeuse, Chompsters81, Dennyh, Littlegreybyrd and vminnie1st for commenting last chapter and novaelixr for beta reading this chapter. 
> 
> Please tell me what you think in the comments! Each comments gives me dose of serotonin pls I love them <3
> 
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> Stay safe everyone!


	13. Cores and Affinities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some explanations...

Yeonjun was waiting. 

It was a day after their arrival in Arcadia and the adults were nowhere to be seen. When Yeonjun and his friends had woken up, they had spent their time idly waiting by their rooms before the boredom caught up to them. They then explored the palace grounds, the armoury, the kitchens and the main hall. However, the sheer size of the castle meant that they were far from seeing all of it. Yeonjun’s thoughts were cluttered with worry for Beomgyu’s well-being. He was grateful that he and his friends were there to distract and support each other; they already made plans to go into the Fae town once Beomgyu was recovered enough to walk around. He had never been to a magical town and it didn’t feel fair to go without Beomgyu. His pack’s territory was in the middle of Seoul and the trips every month or two to go running in a nearby forest was the only experience he had with a large community of magicals. His parents used to take him to their delegate meetings, but he hardly remembers a thing, it was _ that _long ago. 

Despite being strongly advised not to, Yeonjun still tried to visit Beomgyu in the med-bay. How did they ever expect him to stay put for so long without trying _ something _? No matter how much he tried to reach the room, he was steered away from it by a well-meaning Jimin. Every time he was escorted back to his room by the prince, Soobin looked at him with exasperation and Taehyun called him lovesick. He flipped Soobin off and chased Taehyun, the cheeky little shit. It irked him to no end but he understood the secrecy. This was, after all, a far from normal situation. He got his answers after two more days. 

Jin’s face was paler and more agitated than the last time Yeonjun saw him. With the way his eyes wavered around the walls of the room where he asked to talk to everyone, Yeonjun dreaded the route their conversation was going to take. Beomgyu was okay right? He had to be. He had to wake up. Taehyung didn’t look much better, with his furrowed brows and the hint of a scowl on his face- the closest thing to anger that Yeonjun has seen on the normally cheerful mage. There was a static in the air, a charged energy that made everyone else in the room shift in discomfort. 

With a raise of his hand, Jin summoned hot tea in front of everyone on the table. The steam curled and looped into the air. Jin sighed and dropped his hands on the table’s surface. “Let’s start with what you know about magical creatures in general.” 

“What? I thought we’re here to talk about Beomgyu,” Yeonjun couldn’t help himself from interjecting harshly. Weren’t they here to discuss Gyu’s recovery? He did not wait days to listen to a Magic 101 lesson. Soobin kicked him in the shins and Yeonjun grimaced. _ Fucking ow, goddamn Soobin, and his sharp ass shoes. _

Soobin sent him a warning look before he stated, “There’s 10 magical classes: Mages, Seers, Humans, Erotes, Shifters, Demons, Faes, Druids, Sirens and Animals that fall under the blanket term.”

Jin hummed lightly “That’s correct. But, they don’t teach you about how the classes existed in the first place. With the past few decades being focused on assimilation in the human world, a lot of old messages of the magical world have been forgotten. 

“Does anybody know why we’re able to do magic in the first place?” 

The question hung heavy in the air as Yeonjun and his friends looked at each other in confusion. It seems stupid now that none of them know the answer to such a fundamental topic. Magic had always been a part of him, like a limb that had been attached to him since birth. He didn’t need to think about magic, just like how he didn’t need to think about breathing; it was natural. Yeonjun would not be able to imagine living if he couldn't shift into his fox form, the idea was incomprehensible. 

Jin and Taehyung did not appear surprised at their lack of knowledge about a simple topic, in fact they looked like they expected it. 

The silence stretched and the mages exchanged a look; it was a secret conversation Yeonjun couldn’t decipher. Finally, Taehyung said, “Magical creatures are made out of magic itself. It explains why we don’t need tools like a wand to _ access _ it. _ We _are the instruments of magic. We usually wield the power through runes inscribed on our skin or on elements that enhance the power. Guardians have weapons they’ve charged with their magic but it doesn’t mean the power comes from the tool. It all comes from the person.”

“There’s a myth, an age old legend that all magical creatures used to be Mages.” Taehyung snapped his fingers and a pure white glowing ball of energy hovered above the circular table they were gathered around. “Every creature is filled with magical energy. It’s generally referred to as your magical core.” The pulsing light split into ten different colours: guardian green, erote purple, the blue shade of Hoesok’s eyes from a few days ago… 

Taehyung continued “Each colour refers to what magical class you have.” Yeonjun and his friends couldn’t help but lean forward in anticipation, as the balls of energy pulsed and crackled. His fingers twitched; he wanted to touch it. 

Tapping his finger against his tea cup, Jin explained, “Written scrolls from hundreds and thousands of years ago have evidence that all magical creatures used to be Mages. All of them had a pure magical core to pursue any area of magic they wanted. But as you all know, mages would eventually specialise in a certain area of magic. This specialisation is referred to as having an “affinity” for that branch of magic. Through human nature, the Mages who had an affinity for shifter magic grouped together, those who were better at healing and defense spells formed their guilds, those who were better at animal magic and can shift into, say, foxes or wolves, formed their own packs and so on and so forth. That’s why there are many sub-classes beneath the term ‘shifter.’

Taehyun raised his hand like he normally would at school and asked, “So is it like how cheetahs, pumas and lions are different species but they’re part of the same genus?”

(Yeonjun took note of the way the mages flinched at the word “puma” and filed that information for later.) 

Jin nodded and said “Exactly like that. The umbrella term “shifter” can refer to Kitsunes or the Wolves, it can even be used to refer to Erotes. Through numerous generations, the pure magical core has changed and morphed to suit a magical creature’s lineage. Most magical creatures can only specialise in one form of magic now.” 

“There are exceptions of course. Humans are special because they can’t perform magic. This is not because they do not have magic; their cores are dormant or locked up making it inaccessible and impossible for them to do anything magical. There’s only three mages. Taehyung and I have specialised in the magical field we wanted. I have an affinity for mental magic in general but it doesn’t tie me down to a specific subclass. Mages are more flexible to experiment with other magical affinities. They’re also blessed, because having an affinity for something doesn’t mean that they won’t be able to perform other forms of magic. It’s just going to be weaker. Taehyung is a Rune Master and he has a specialty in healing and defensive spells likened to something Guardians could do, but that doesn’t mean he can’t summon flames like a Demon.” 

Kai timidly spoke, “How come there can only be three mages at a time?”

“Good question,” complimented Taehyung, before he answered. “From the scrolls that we could salvage, a very small number of Mages began to abuse their power. They began to terrorise helpless humans and use them for magical experiments. Some mages had stronger cores than others, and they wanted to see if they could tap into humans' dormant cores as a magical reserve. It was a brutal practice that resulted in the unnecessary spillage of the blood of our people. ”

Yeonjun felt sick at the thought of defiling anyone. There was a coil in his chest that tightened the more their hyungs spoke to them. He couldn’t even comprehend how you’d _ access _someone’s core and take their own magic. His skin prickled and crawled as he shuddered from the mere thought of the act. Kai’s eyes were wide and open, his jaw slack from the cruelty of the action. Taehyun and Soobin wore matching expressions of anger, their lips drawn into a thin line and their forehead creased with frustration. 

With a green-ish tinge to his skin, Jin continued to explain. “Although the number of Mages who performed this barbaric practice was small, it was enough to rightfully cause an outrage in the magical community. In the legend, it was told that a ritual was performed by five magical beings, one of them being a Mage himself, with a sacrifice to limit the magic Mages could wield. The cores of Mages were snuffed out and they became dormant. Essentially, they were reduced to the humans they abused. Eradicating a whole magical class was risky, so the curse reduced the number of Mages to three. Three Mages was too little to overpower the rest of the magical world, but just enough to continue the job they were originally tasked with: protect magic and discover its limits. The remaining Mages made a pact to allow magic to prosper and grow. It provided balance that the magical world needed. However, the power of the remaining Mages was so strong that even after death, their magical cores found a new host to settle into. To get the power of a Mage is down to pure luck, you were either born with it or you weren’t.”

Yeonjun’s mind reeled and halted, the coil in his chest twisting impossibly tight. His voice wavered, as he said, “That’s why Beomgyu shouldn’t exist. That’s why he can’t have magic.” 

Taehyung grimaced. “Yes and no. We think Beomgyu’s able to perform magic because of a mistake. A blip in the natural world.” 

“How do you know Beomgyu’s a mage? He can summon flames right? Maybe he’s just a Demon?” Soobin asked hopefully. 

Swirling a spoon in his still full tea, Taehyung replied dully, “Hobi-hyung already told us that the fires he saw from the practice studio were not related to Demons.” 

Contemplative silence permeated the air, as the Mages gave Yeonjun, Soobin, Taehyun and Kai time to digest the information they’ve received. Yeonjun dug his nails to his palms to ease some of his tension. He felt reduced and incompetent and powerless. All of the things his hyungs have said didn’t come close to anything that could help Beomgyu’s situation. They haven’t even breached the topic of his well being, and he wondered if it was so hopeless that his hyungs can’t even break the awful news to them. 

Taehyun broke the spell of silence and asked, “What made Humans so special that the Mages went after them?”

Jin responded, “Humans may not have magic, but they were blessed with something else. All magical creatures have three or four times the lifespan of a regular human because our cores sustain us as a life force. Our cores have the ability to replenish and are closely intertwined with our souls. Unless a magical creature is killed in battle, their lives will be stretched and prolonged until their core runs out and can no longer replenish. Our abilities come with a price. Magicals cannot be reborn or reincarnated. One lifetime is all we have, because once our core fails to recover in our bodies, our soul cannot live on with the absence of magic. _ We are magic. _When we die, our souls will return to the heavens and reside amongst the stars.”

Taehyung stated “Humans, however, have dormant magical cores. They never use up the magic within them, therefore their souls are reborn into another person.”

Looking around the room, his friends appeared as shocked and stunned as Yeonjun felt. He felt ridiculous for never knowing any of this, or delving deeper into the topic of what made him magical in the first place. Listening to his hyungs’ explanations made him appreciate his abilities more. Yeonjun promised himself to read more into cores and how they can be sustained. It was obvious that Yeonjun and his friends should not be privy to this information but he appreciated how much his hyungs were willing to spill sensitive information with them.

The coil in his chest was still there, still toughening and narrowing his lungs. Tripping over his words, Yeonjun dared to ask, “How does all of this relate to Beomgyu?” 

Jin rubbed his fingers on the sides of his temples and winced. “The High Council is going to want to get their filthy hands on Beomgyu. He’ll make the perfect guinea pig. They’ll want to know how he was able to access the magic from his core. It’ll be ugly.” 

“Like hell they will,” Yeonjun gritted out. Soobin squeezed his hand under the table in reassurance. Kai and Taehyun’s eyes glinted in resolute determination. In that moment, _ Yeonjun fucking loved them. _There was no way a stupid fucking council will get close to Beomgyu. 

Taehyung nodded. “Don’t worry, we won’t let that happen. There’s a reason why Jin-hyung and I have avoided those assholes for years.”

Jin clenched his fists. He definitely looked ill as he said, “How Beomgyu got his powers is still a mystery to us. I can only think of one situation that could have led to this, but even so, I’m missing a lot of the pieces to this particular puzzle. There was an incident with Beomgyu’s father that might have caused this. I don’t know a lot, but something happened after that night and it's the only thing that I can think of that makes sense.” 

“I went on a quest with Beomgyu’s father years ago.” Jin gulped and his distraught was evident in the way his entire body shook but he powered on. “Beomgyu’s father saw something that night, a blessing or a curse, I might never know. He changed after that night, and he kept saying something- something about a star uniting magical creatures together. I didn’t think too much of it and my memory of the incident is spotty even now. I’ve been working on spells to help me remember, but it was my fault for repressing most of it.” 

Taehyung rubbed soothing circles on Jin’s back and calmly said, “Don’t apologise for wanting to forget hyung, that quest was a trap. The council set you on a hopeless mission. They wanted you two dead. They can go suck a dick for making you go through that.”

Jin’s distraught was still present in his demeanor, but Taehyung helped him through it. The oldest mage spoke once more. “Beomgyu’s father was a respected Guardian in our community. He’s the head of the Choi clan and a member of the guild Blueglades.” 

Judging from Taehyun’s loud gasp, it must be a respectable position. 

Jin smiled at Taehyun’s reddening face and continued, “His position was esteemed and respected so he automatically received a seat in the Council. However, the magical community shunned him for marrying a human. It was seen as sacrilege, a waste of magical blood.”

Yeonjun shifted in his seat, it was common knowledge that mixing magical and human blood produced human children 100% of the time. It was why most magical beings kept to themselves, they didn’t want to lose their lineage. It would explain why the Council would rage over the lost lineage of a family as esteemed as the Choi’s. 

“To escape the Council-” Taehyung scoffed- “and their meddling fingers, the head of the Choi clan fled to settle down with his wife in Daegu. It was the main territory of the Choi’s and was deeply enriched with generations of guardian magic.” Jin smiled. “I helped them find refuge and live a normal life. They were out of harm’s way for a few years and had a son. Beomgyu. I would visit as much as I could and the family was happy.” He sighed. “The strange things started when little Beomgyu started to display magical abilities- a feat previously seen as impossible.” Yeonjun could see a younger version of Gyu in his mind running around, filled with happiness and joy. 

“He made flowers grow, trees sprout from the ground and fire would erupt from his fingertips. This was a problem, because his father was a guardian not a Mage- and three mages already existed. you must understand that hiding his existence was the only way to protect him from the power hungry Council.” Jin looked at Taehyung and he nodded in encouragement. 

“Beomgyu’s father called me for help.” The Mage’s voice started to tremble. “I made a spell tailored to Beomgyu- a spell to make him forget about magic. I placed a mental block on him. He wouldn't remember anything related to his magical heritage. It was strong, tricky rune work that left me drained for days.” Jin clenched his fists. “I was the only one capable and trustworthy enough to do it, even more so with my affinity for mind magic. But Beomgyu was more powerful than I would’ve thought. He would dismantle the barriers in his sleep and I had to meticulously build them back up through the dreamscape.” 

Yeonjun remembered the nightmare Beomgyu had the first time he slept over, the incantations flaring up on his skin and the agony of his screams. It fucking killed him to watch Beomgyu’s pain, but he understood Jin’s decision to do it. He wouldn’t know what he’d do if his power was robbed from him, and he admired Beomgyu for being able to fight against something he wasn’t even aware of. 

“The dreamscape?” Yeonjun has never heard of such a thing before. 

“It’s an obscure branch of magic that’s practically unheard of,” remarked Jin. “Seers have the ability to travel through people’s subconscious, as well as see glimpses of the future. But the ability is mostly forgotten because there has been no recognised Seer for centuries. The only reason I can visit Beomgyu in the dreamscape is because of the spellwork connecting us together. Usually only Seers can control and manipulate the medium.”

Eyes narrowing in concentration, Jin said “Sometimes I’d stumble into Beomgyu’s dreams and someone was already there. I can never get close enough to talk to him, like how I talked to Beomgyu sometimes- not that the younger would remember me of course.” Yeonjun observed the way Jin shifted in his seat, and despite how much he wanted to trust the Mage’s words, he felt as though he was holding something back from them about this other person he mentioned. 

Taehyung tapped his fingers on the table and stated, “Jin’s dismantled the spellwork now so when Beomgyu wakes up, he’ll remember.” 

Jin nodded. “Perhaps he won’t remember all at once, but all his blocked memories are now released. Beomgyu’s mother died soon after I placed the spell and I knew his father was becoming more and more distant. I haven’t contacted any of the remaining Choi’s in real life. Beomgyu was getting stronger and stronger. An incident a few months ago with a boy named Jeongin meant he had to switch schools-”

_ Jeongin. _

“Wait, what did you just say?” Yeonjun shouted. He felt rude for interrupting but his heart was jumping out of his chest as his mind scrambled to try and recall where he heard that name before.

_ Jeongin. Jeongin. Jeongin. Jeongin. Jeong- _

Everyone looked at him with concern in their eyes but Yeonjun ignored them because the answer was at the tip of his tongue- 

_ “ _ _ Beomgyu hurt Jeongin, so I’ll hurt him back- no one walks away unscathed from hurting my pack member.” _

_ “You’re the reason why Jeongin is as good as dead, you motherfucker.” _

Yeonjun’s mind spun from Hyunjin’s words echoing in his mind. He stood up and screamed, “He knows him, he knows him, he knows him!” Jeongin was key to why Hyunjin attacked Beomgyu. How the fuck did he forget such a detail?

The rest also stood up at Yeonjun’s hysteria but dear god- the pieces were all falling together. He was unsteady on his feet and he clutched on the table for support.

To try and calm him down, Taehyung said, “Yeonjun- honey- you’re not making any sense.”

“JEONGIN!” Yeonjun exclaimed and everyone flinched away from him. His voice was hoarse when he said, “Hyunjin knows Jeongin. He said that’s why he hurt Beomgyu.” 

Taehyung reeled, “Are you sure? Did you definitely hear his name correctly?”

There was a knock on the door and everyone turned to the source of the sound. With a wave of Jin’s hand, the door swung open and a tentative Jungkook walked into the tense room. 

“Uhh I know you’re explaining a lot of things to the kids...” Jungkook hesitated before he revealed-

“Hyunjin’s awake.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Sorry I've been gone for over a month but woooooow school is still kicking my ass. This chapter hopefully answered some of your questions? But yeah this whole magical concept of how the cores were going to work has been in my brain for sooo long I didn't even know how to write about it at first. I hope this chapter made it clearer for all of you :D This update isn't the longest but the next one is hopefully going to be way longer. 
> 
> The Eternally MV was so fucking amazing. I fucking screamed when Beomgyu's section came up and it made me lose my mind?? The mv just made me really intrigued and inspired me to update. 
> 
> Thank you to Littlegreybyrd, Morg, kiozimn and Gyuniverse for commenting last chapter! All of your comments and kudos truly make me happy and I always get excited when I read them <3 Please tell me any of your thoughts about this chapter too and I'll reply!
> 
> Special thanks to novaelixr once again for beta reading <3
> 
> Hope everyone is having a good day and stay safe!!
> 
> (Question: Who was the person Jin saw in the dreamscape?)


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